10 No-Cost Ways to Increase Your Productivity –IF you build the habit.
According to Eban Pagan:
“What’s the big enemy of business success in modern times? It’s distraction and interruption. … I’ve discovered that time management is one of the biggest challenges that business people and entrepreneurs face”.
“I was asking about frustrations growing businesses and the answers weren’t about … products. In fact, the most common answer was ‘time management and productivity’. It turned out, the biggest challenge people were facing had to do with managing their time – especially when working from home, where there are a lot of distractions….”
If this sounds like you, try implementing the following systems. If you choose to change the way you approach your work and build the discipline to be more productive, you can get more time, get it faster and get more done! It all depends on how much you value your time – at work and outside of work.
In all the discussions I have had with clients for over 20 years, one thing is consistently apparent in each case. Clients who focus on their most profitable activities are the ones who thrive and prosper. Those who spread themselves too thin; who multi-task too much; are always playing catch-up with their time and their finances.
Time is the most depreciating asset we have. We can never get it back. Yet, we throw it away. Here are 10 no-cost ways to build your own productivity muscle and get more time now.
- Use your 6 Most Important Things List – daily. If you try to accomplish more in a day, you are spreading yourself too thin.
- Schedule time to read and respond to email and stick to a time limit. When it’s under control, you can relax and focus on more important things.
- Turn off automatic delivery of email. You get to control email. It does not need to control you.
- Schedule time to return phone calls. Batch together all the cards you received and make those calls back to back.
- Create a work environment conducive to productivity. For some people it’s moving their desk to a different place in the room. For some people it’s redesigning how they use their space or bringing in a Feng Shui expert. For some people it’s flowers, a rug or art on the walls. For me it’s a window looking out at nature.
- Identify your 2 most profitable money-making activities. They may be what you love about your business, they may be what you do best, – or not.
- Increase the scheduled time you focus on those two activities. Most executive and business owners don’t even spend 50% of their time on those activities.
- Break the multi-tasking habit. – That means stop reading email while you are in a meeting. Stop answering every call that comes in while you are working on a critical project.
- When you set a meeting with someone, be present. Focus on the person. Complete the discussion before you move on. It’s tempting to take a call or let someone else interrupt. Break that bad habit.
- Follow these steps daily (not just Monday – Friday) for 21 days to build the habit. Track your results. If you track the results, you will prove to yourself how much more effective and efficient you can be when you follow these steps. Making yourself accountable to someone for this revised schedule will greatly improve your likelihood of success.
For more information, request my free report: Jumpstart Your Productivity in the box on the right. If you find yourself still spread too thin or unable to break the multitasking trap, you may want to seriously consider a Northeast Productivity Bootcamp with me. Send me an email to discuss whether you qualify for this transforming 2-day program.
