Are you feeling overwhelmed by your business, thinking that you may never get ahead of your to-do list? If this is you, then chances are you are stuck in “busy” work not productive work. Listen in to our latest episode to learn how you can kick busy to the curb and your business into high gear!
SHOW NOTES
Are you feeling overwhelmed by your business? Do you worry you may never get ahead of your to-do list?
If you feel like you are treading water and you have no idea how to break free from the endless cycle, then you are likely busy rather than productive.
Our latest episode will teach you a simple method of prioritization to take your to-do list from a thousand small fires that you’re constantly squelching, to three things simple that must be handled that day.
Be Productive on a Daily Basis
I talked about a similar task in our Sunday Planning episode, the only difference is this is more granular and I recommend you do it every day. Spend five or ten minutes each evening making a list of what needs to happen the next day. This will give you a clear picture of what you need to do so that you can crush prioritization.
Prioritize – Do, Delegate, Defer, Delete
Prioritize the three things that will have the biggest negative impact on your business if they don’t get done. Next, let’s look at what takes the next highest priority – tasks only you can do.
If only you can complete the task, then put that task in your “do” pile.
If you can delegate the task, send it to your team.
If the task can be deferred, set it aside for later.
If you have already deferred this task for quite a while, it’s time to delete it from your list. Much like the forgotten box in your basement, you’ve been getting by just fine without it, you don’t need it.
Now that you have broken your tasks down, you can clearly see where you need to focus your energy.
This is a huge step and gets the majority of the busy work off your plate, putting you on the path to productivity.
To Recap
It is always tempting, and sometimes easier to do the easy (busy) work rather than the work that needs to get done to move yourself and your business forward.
If you’re not sure if a task is busy or productive, ask yourself if completing the task will move your business forward, help a client, or generate revenue. If it doesn’t, chances are it is busy work and can be delegated to a member of your team.
This system is even more critical if you are a party of one. Following the do, delegate, defer, delete system will help you break free from the endless cycle of busy work and be more productive (and profitable!) every day.
As always: Keep it simple, so you can grow.
