How big is your To-Do list?
Do you have a list of things you are ‘planning’ to do but just can’t find the time for:
- New ideas or processes for your business that you want to put into action?
- Making it to that weekly networking meeting or to the gym?
- Listening to that podcast your friend suggested?
- Social media, dealing with that shoebox full of receipts, hiring an assistant, etc.?
Well if you do, it is safe to say that you are not alone. Business owners and entrepreneurs everywhere struggle with this. However, if you really think the problem is not having enough time then you are lying to yourself. The truth is it’s never been about time or time management. That’s a different issue altogether. The reason you have been putting these things off of so long is that it’s always been about priorities.
If you really want to do something
you’ll find a way. If you don’t,
you’ll find an excuse.
~ Jim Rohn
I love this quote by Jim Rohn. It wonderfully expresses what most of us are afraid to admit to ourselves. If we really think something is important we will find the time to do it.
Here’s a personal example of my own:
I used to find it hard to make time to go to the gym. But I knew that physically being a designer and having a desk job, I needed to find a way to get more active. Add on the fact that exercising always had the effect of taking my mind off of things and helping me destress. So what did I do? I spoke to my wife and came up with a schedule that works for both of us, got a gym membership, and added three days of exercise into my calendar as recurring events. Now for three years straight it has become a regular part of my routine and the only time I’ve missed a day is when I haven’t been able to go due to injury or family commitments.
The productivity hack to get it done
Step #1 – Make a list
make a list of List of all those important tasks you have planned that are gonna help you grow yourself or your business.
Step #2 Prioritize
Put numbers beside each one. Which are the most important and which can be done further on down the line.
Step #3 Block time in your calendar
Pick a time on a day that you think works best and will rarely change. Make a recurring event in your calendar. You will use that time block to work on this list. It doesn’t have to be huge. Start small with blocks of 15 minutes – 1 hour. Just make sure that its uninterrupted time that is protected.
Step #4 Work on it one at a time
Start with one task and work your way down the list. Do not try to complete them all at once or you will overwhelm yourself and most likely end up falling into the same traps.
Once you start to block out the time to make the knock down that list then you will be able to focus on the work that you do best knowing that everything is getting completed. All of that will go a long way in helping you focus on creating the best brand possible for yourself and your business.
