Some entrepreneurs seem to have a magical knack for getting things done efficiently in the business world. Have you ever wondered how they stay so productive day after day? Have you wanted to learn from these great leaders and incorporate their special routines into your work life?
Well, we have shortlisted some tricks these entrepreneurs use to stay on top of their game.
1. Divide your day into 15-minute blocks
Entrepreneurs can often get overwhelmed with a lot of tasks at once. They often feel stuck when they have too much to accomplish in less time. But what can truly help them in such times is focussing on one task at a time. All they have to do is divide their tasks based on priority and assign a 15-minute window to each task.
When you start your week, make a schedule that includes all high and medium priority tasks that need attention that week, then break them down into a 15-minute window. Giving your tasks a realistic deadline helps you accomplish them on time without wasting any. You could take the help of apps that allow you to set reminders.
2. Be accurate, no fake promises.
Many of you have heard about the advice, “promise less and deliver more,” being used in the business world. But is this the best approach?
In today’s world, honesty is valued more than over-exceeded promises. It is always better, to be honest about the time you’ll take to accomplish a task rather than promising to exceed the expectations. If you wish to build a trusted relationship with your clients, you need to be honest about the deadlines and do a good job at the work that is promised.
3. Schedule everything.
It is always advisable to plan every task. Having a fixed schedule for your day will help you be more productive and get better results. Once you schedule your very task, you have to ensure that you are meeting the deadlines and strictly following your routine. There is no point in making a to-do list if you don’t stick to it. Once you start following a routine like this, you will notice that you are more productive than you thought you would be.
While following a strict schedule, you will realize that you are no longer delaying any tasks. Also, you will not be wasting time thinking about your next step or deciding how much time you need to spend on that task.
4. Set clear goals and remind your staff of them often
When you are aware of your goals, you have a clear understanding of how long it will take you to accomplish them. Breaking down the goal into smaller, doable goals will help you achieve them sooner than you have estimated. Keep sticky notes around your workstation that will give you a constant reminder.
Reminders can help you in keeping your employees motivated. Schedule weekly and monthly meetings with your employees to check their progress and remind them about the deadlines and goals.
5. Don’t respond to emails during the day
Every entrepreneur understands the hassle that unwanted or unimportant emails create. Studies have suggested that around 90 percent of the emails you receive as a leader can be divided into three categories: Spam, CC’d (carbon copy), and non-urgent. The ones that are CC’d to you are handled mainly by your team, and non-urgent ones can be kept in the loop to be addressed later.
Rather than spending your whole day checking emails, you can schedule a time to check your emails thrice a day and not more than that. This could be in the morning once you start your day, in the afternoon after your lunch break, and in the evening before you leave for the day. If you try this trick, you will be able to save a lot of your time from being wasted and utilize your time in doing something productive.
6. Tackle easy/important tasks before hard/important ones
Whenever we schedule our day, we are aware of the task that is the most important. , Now, these tasks can be further divided into two sections. The first one includes all the important tasks that will take very little of your time or can be easily handled. For example, you have to respond to the emails sent by your client. The second one includes all the important tasks that will be hard to accomplish. The reason could be the time frame or the task is complicated. For example, you have to submit the project report to your client.
Now that you know about the difference between the two, we would suggest you finish the important tasks that are easy to handle because they will take less time for you to complete them. When you try this trick, you will be able to save yourself a lot of time to focus on the most important ones.