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How I Get More Done In Less Time…Without Feeling Frazzled
September 10th, 2009 by Kendall
“OMG Kendall! How do you run a 7-figure business from your home, stay so calm and spend time every day with your horses and hubby?”
First of all, I am NOT super woman! I need a ton of sleep and I rarely work more than 35 hours a week in my business.
Here’s what I do to stay focused, calm and happy running a successful business and living my ideal lifestyle:
#1. Keep My To-Do List Short
If you’re to-do list is more than one page then you’re bound to be stressed and overwhelmed. Every Friday I create a new to-do list for the upcoming week. I write mine by hand on a single sheet of paper and I don’t cheat by making my writing tiny. I make the list in the order in which I need to complete each task. This way, I decide what my priorities are one time, instead of procrastinating and skipping over the hard stuff to cherry pick the tasks I want to do minute by minute. If it’s a phone call I’ve made and I’m waiting for a call back, I check off the task to show that I started it. The minute the task is done I erase it from my list so my list is getting SHORTER, which really lifts my energy and enthusiasm.
#2. Don’t Succumb To Sticky Note Time Management
If I start writing things to do on sticky notes, I know my week is going downhill, fast. Instead of writing sticky notes I add the task to my to-do list, in priority order. This way, I can clearly see if it’s reasonable to think I can actually get one more thing done. If it’s not, then I immediately delegate the task to my Business Manager or Assistant.
#3. Delegate Anything That’s Been On My To-Do List For More Than Two Weeks
After two weeks if a task hasn’t been started or completed, something’s up that needs to be addressed. Typically, this is my cue that it’s something where I need to let go of control and delegate.
#4. Do The Big Things First
Writing promo emails, writing web copy, marketing and planning are tasks that require focus and concentration. So I do them first in my day, leaving the rest of the day open to fill in with the little things like phone calls, email and communicating with my team.
#5. Ignore The Telephone, Email and Twitter During “Big Things First” Time
Ladies, this is simply a matter of a little discipline and self-control. Just remember that handling umpteen little things like the telephone and email drains your energy faster than anything else. Unless your child is hurt or the house is on fire there is NOTHING that is so important it can’t wait a couple of hours! Your desire to help people needs to be channeled into your Big Things First tasks, which is where you have the opportunity to help hundreds, even thousands of people. Don’t mistakenly think that being available on your cell or via email 24/7 is helping people; it isn’t.
#6. Get Plenty of Sleep
Being tired sucks. Plus, when you’re tired everything takes longer. I make sure to get to bed early, read and relax, then turn the light off by 10:30 every night so I get 8 hours of sleep during the week. Weekends I’ll indulge and sleep in even more. Women expend a lot of energy and we need rest, relaxation and quiet to rejuvenate our body and soul. This isn’t being selfish; it’s being smart about managing yourself so you can be of amazing service to others, showing up in a big way!
Like these tips? I have even more specific strategies and checklists on how to run your day and your team so they’re not running you, which I’ll be sharing at my upcoming Money, Marketing and Soul™ Intensive, happening this Oct 15-18, 2009. There are ONLY *7* seats still available before we’re completely SOLD OUT so click here now to at least consider attending, okay?
Posted in Business Development, Money and Mindset, Soul of Business • • Subscribe to this feed
Tags: marketing, Marketing and Soul™ Intensive, planning, twitter
I agree with all with a small exception to #2 and that is that I have devised a way for some of my clients to make using sticky notes work for them in a very productive way. But I want to emphasize #6 because that is probably the most important point yet it is also probably the most abused one.
Comment by Janice Russell, CPO-CD — September 10, 2009 @ 7:06 am
It’s so good to hear the someone so successful gets tons of sleep. I am someone who needs at least 8 hours+ of sleep to be happy. I think I expend so much energy during the day that it takes my body a while to catch up for the next day.
I hear of so many successful people who rarely sleep that it makes me think I need to work harder to get ahead.
It’s more about time management than it is about lack of sleep.
Comment by Kim Reddington — September 11, 2009 @ 8:33 am