As an entrepreneur with multiple projects going all at once I am constantly facing deadlines, sometimes overflowing email in boxes and calls to return. That was just a very short list of what I am looking at every day, but I find if I put together a to-do list I get more accomplished than I would without one. But if find yourself writing a to-do list and then being put off by how daunting it seems you don’t want to give up.
I have great suggestions on how small steps can lead to amazing results.
Know what absolutely needs to be accomplished by you. Delegate what you can.
Make note of what absolutely needs to be done today and set that goal.
Do the most important item on your to-do list first.
Understand daily, weekly, monthly and yearly deadlines. Break projects down to measurable time frames and work on them in increments.
Devote 15 minutes to a task that you’re simply dreading. Take a deep breath, but know that you can tackle any task, no matter how objectionable or boring, for 15 minutes.
Are there projects that you put off because they either seem boring or objectionable? Do you find yourself overwhelmed and not sure where to begin? We can actually help with that. Give us a call! Also, if you have tips to share on how you get through your to-do list, please let us know that as well!
As the owner of Peak Dynamics and a couple of other ventures, I work with several staff and contractors and they are scattered across the United States and the globe. Because of that I need to not only trust that I have the right team in place and I also need to trust that they will do the tasks assigned them.
Believe me there have been a few missteps, but for the most part I have found the ideal candidates to fill the necessary niches within my business. Once I have them in place and they are trained (hint, hire people who have the skills sets that you seek and you can train them to do the nitty-gritty that is unique to your organization), but you need to learn to trust your employees. Here are my tips for doing just that:
Offer them the training they need to do the job to the best of their abilities.
Set specific expectations and reasonable goals.
Make certain the employee knows they can come to you if they need assistance — rather than attempting to figure something out on their own to a greater detriment. That being said…
Look for employees who show initiative.
Make sure they know you appreciate what they do and have frequent check ins. This is especially true with a remote workforce — keep in touch.
When you walk into a room at a networking event or a conference do you circle the crowd and find a way to insert yourself into a conversation? Do you stand off to the corner by yourself? Do you know how to “work the room?” If you want to be the center of attention at the next work event or if you want to be in the middle of all of the conversation, here are some things you can do to be the “center of attention”:
Know who you want to meet… then make sure you do.
Set a goal of how many quality people you want to meet. Whether it’s to grow your business team or to connect with as a potential business partner. Make sure you stay at the event until you have reached your goal.
Make it a practice to talk to the one individual who is standing by him or herself. They will welcome it, you will be a hero in their eyes and it just might be the best connection at the event! You’ll never know until you try.
Networking is crucial to growing a thriving business because you can’t work in a vacuum. Take advantage of every event you attend.
As an avid hiker I know the power of taking that one more step to achieve a goal, to finish that hike to complete a marathon. That one more step is a powerful motivator. In business, entrepreneurs are faced with so many pressing tasks on a regular basis that they may suffer “analysis paralysis” — having too many things to do and not being sure where to start.
What can you do to work the power of one? To take that one more step? Here are my best practice tips:
Every time you make a sale, suggest one more product or service to go along with that purchase. The power of the add on sale cannot be denied.
Commit to making one more warm or cold call per day. Write it on your to-do list and make it happen. Calculate how many additional customer “touches” that could lead to and then determine your conversion rate — that one call could grow your business exponentially.
Spend a day a month developing your skills. To remain viable in your industry you need to remain at the cutting edge of the technologies involved with it.
Read a book a month. Turn off the television and read a book –whether it’s in your business niche or whether it’s a novel it’s a great way to take a break and enjoy some down time.
Once a week, ask a client for a referral or a testimonial.
Get to the office an hour early or stay an hour later. If clients learn you’re there early, or late, you may have an advantage over the competition who keeps a strict 9-5 policy.
Before writing off a prospect, make one more call or send one more email. That final contact may be the one that serves as the tipping point to getting him or her to commit.
What one more thing can you do today to grow your business?
How often do you find yourself leaving your office, walking into another room and then not remembering why you were in there? It happens to the best of us. We can “blame” age or too many things in our brains or too much stress, etc. Whatever the reason, keeping your brain sharp will help you in your business life and in your personal life as well. I mean, really, don’t you want to stop walking into a room and forgetting why you’re there!?
What can you do to increase your brain’s capacity for remembering? Here are a few steps to take and you can start today:
Do something every day that scares you! You don’t have to ride a roller coaster or run in front of a speeding bus, but you can try a new food, take a different route to work, attempt to complete a task in a completely different way. If you keep doing things in the same way, it all becomes routine and doesn’t give your mind a chance to react or interact.
Take up a new hobby. If you’ve always wanted to learn to play the saxophone — what’s stopping you? Learn to knit — many people find that when they knit or crochet, they tend to pay more attention to what’s going on around them, especially if they’re in a meeting.
Learn a new language. Go online and look for programs that will teach you to speak a foreign language from the comfort of your home.
Get out of the comfort of your home! If you work from a home office or if you telecommute, you need to get up, get dressed and interact with new people. Stay connected — in real life — not simply on the computer.
Read a book. When is the last time you’ve spend time with a book? If you typically read non fiction, shake it up and read fiction.
Interact with people who are not in your industry. If you’re continually talking to and spending time with people who do what you do, you’re not opening yourself up to new experiences or new knowledge.
Volunteer. Take time out of your busy week to give back to the community or to a group that you feel drawn to.
Make a date with a friend and attend a poetry reading or view the new exhibit at a local art gallery.
Travel. Whether you’re a world traveler or if you want to visit a different state in the United States, make a plan and make it happen. Even going to a new state will be a learning experience and help boost your brain power.
Complete a cross word puzzle or Sodoku
Keeping your brain agile is something that everyone (not only business owners) need to do. This will help everyone as they age and keep your mental acuity sharp.
Goal setting isn’t just a January 1 setting your resolutions for the year ahead type event. Goal setting is something that business owners should do on a regular basis. Yes, you will have goals that may take a year to achieve, but I bet that you have mini-goals that you want to achieve weekly or monthly, right?
How can amp up the probability of your achieving your goals? Here are steps you can take to help make them happen:
Choose a concrete goal. One that is achievable. Don’t set a goal that will set you up for failure.
Write the goal down. Whether you write it on a file in your computer, on a note book or a sticky note by your desk, having written it down makes it not only visible but helps give it a life of its own.
Don’t keep your goal a secret. Announcing your goal — whether to a loved one, a business colleague or on a social media page will help hold you accountable.
Get to work on it. It doesn’t help to set a goal if you do nothing about it. Once you’ve determined what it is and have written it down and shared it, get to it!
If you don’t know what goal you should focus on or are at a loss as to which goal you should do first, contact me and we can work through the goal setting process so you will be on your way to goal achievement!
