Do you ever wish you had more than 168 hours in a week? There are times that all entrepreneurs feel that way. I know I do on occasion. I know, though, that I have to not only work within the 168 hours allotted weekly,but I need to make time for friends, family and a life. How do I get it all done?
Here are my productivity tips for entrepreneurs who want to “have it all:”
- Set goals. Write a to-do list for your daily goals as well as your weekly, monthly and annual goals. You may find it easier to break all of your goals down — especially the weekly, monthly and annual ones into manageable chunks.
- Don’t let yourself get distracted by email interruptions. Turn off alerts and don’t check your social media when you have a project that you’re working on. Multi-tasking can kill productivity.
- Take care of yourself and value your time. Don’t let friends, family or colleagues draw you away from the task at hand. Tell them, firmly, but nicely, “I’d love to do XYZ as soon a I finish this project. Can you give me a couple of hours?” Chances are they will appreciate your honesty and respect your dedication.
- Rituals matter. Have a morning ritual that gets you ready for the workday ahead and set a ritual for the end of the day. These two rituals will get you in the correct frame of mind for the day ahead.
- Take a break. You can only focus for so long on a project. Give yourself permission to get up every hour and talk a brief walk. Do some jumping jacks. Take the dog for a walk or grab a snack. Getting up and moving around will refresh you and make getting back to the task at hand much easier.
What is your favorite productivity tip?