Let’s face it – being your own boss is liberating.
You create your own rules, hours, schedule, work ethics, vision and the path of success. But this flexibility and freedom does come with a cost – having to do so much work in so little time, especially when you have to micromanage yourself.
While British Prime Minister Winston Churchill preferred to stay in bed in the mornings, what worked for Evan Williams, an American entrepreneur is taking a midday break. We are all wired differently and enjoy the freedom to spend each day in our desired ways.
To tackle these never-ending lists of important tasks, meetings and personal life, you have most likely devised a perfect schedule that will guide you as you take on the world without breaking a sweat.
But I am certain that each of us have had our fair share of chaotic days of inefficiency, stress and uncertainty (especially recently). What is your secret mantra to actually stay on schedule? Read on to know mine.
Are you a business owner with a schedule? Do this to stay sane as you tread the path of success
“Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn.
Here are a few things I’ve picked up from people along the way about managing schedules:
– Put your foot down and outsource: Smart entrepreneurs understand that they cannot do it all or you are going to burn out quickly. Consider outsourcing for your sanity. Engage in outsourcing and win back your two valuable resources – time and money. If this is the first time you are dipping your toes into outsourcing, you can start by letting go of social media, finances and research – or anything you do not particularly enjoy doing and can be done by someone else.
– Kanban: The Kanban method is a scheduling system to manage the flow of work and eventually improve the processes of an organisation, that many have also grown to love. What makes Kanban a great tool is the fundamental use of visual aid with a whiteboard, sticky notes and three columns for ‘To-Do, Doing and Done’ to track each task in its individual stages. Do you fancy this too? Everything changed overnight once I understood it’s power. Not only will you get more done, you’ll feel a sense of achievement every day.
– Early birds: Do you know what the top business owners with the busiest lifestyle have in common? They are reaping the power and magic of early mornings. I start at 5am every day to be ahead of the world. Join the bandwagon without a second thought!
– Email buster: Are you guilty of putting off responding to emails when you see them piling up in your inbox? Establish a protocol to sort those emails before they pile up. A cluttered inbox is frustrating and distracting. If you are having trouble with this, start by checking your inbox at different times of your work day – as soon as you get to work, post-lunch and once before you wrap up to leave. While you are at it, try to make quick decisions and respond to the emails soon after you read it.
How to make your schedule simple and less packed
The entrepreneur’s life demands discipline, confidence and consistency each day. Our happiness and health depend highly on our daily routine and schedule. This means your routine should be easy-going and suitable for your body and mind.
Here are a few for starters that could help you finetune your current routine and make it doable:
– Do not take your mornings for granted: Whether you get up at 4am or 10am, how you spend the first few hours of your day can impact the rest of your day. Read, write, exercise, have a hearty breakfast and work on your to-do list for the day. Start your day on the right track, stay grounded and know your priorities.
– Find what drives you: Some of us like to plan every minute of every day and others might prefer a more tentative schedule to work around. Some would choose creative work over doing finances, but you know that you have to get to it soon – do you know what floats your boat? Understand the way your mind and body work before you force yourself into a schedule, and you will have no reason to not stick to a plan.
– Mix it up: Start your fresh day with the hardest tasks or work that you enjoy doing. Usually by noon and lunch when you feel worn out you could resort to some easy and quick jobs like taking phone calls and attending meetings. You are not going to feel at your absolute best every hour, so take enough rejuvenating breaks and keep your day interesting and dynamic.
It is easy to get caught up in the work side of things without even realising it. Do not forget to factor in time for yourself, with your family and continuous learning!
Think more about how you wish to spend your time, how you actually do and how you can optimise better. You are always going to be “doing a lot of work” but when you follow a routine and create a work plan you can find yourself more at peace, relaxed, happy and a sense of accomplishment.
Remember – know your limits, plan your moves carefully and innovatively and then give them your all.
“Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they started.” – David Allen
Other ways we can help you
If you need some work-life balance, we can help. Here are 5 ways we can help you accelerate your Lead Generation results:
1. Grab our free 4-Week LinkedIn Profile Optimisation Course
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5. Work with our team privately
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