1. Know how you are spending your time. Make a daily log of everything you do and the time it takes for two or three days (and if your days vary a lot, for 5 days) so you can see all the things you actually do and where you are spending your time. YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT WHAT YOU LEARN. Look for things you do that you could delegate. Look for things you do that are just not a priority and maybe should be way down your list of Things To Do. Look for things that you could avoid totally or just say no to or that you could create short cuts to take less time.
2. Set goals for each week and then plan each day. Now that you know all that you do and you know what you want to accomplish to generate the income you want, plan your weeks with your highest priorities (4 weeks at a time) and then on Friday or over the weekend, plan each day for the coming week. A good plan will relieve you of stress, put you more in control and lead to accomplishing more and being more effective while be more efficient.
3. Break large time-consuming tasks into smaller tasks. Sometimes big projects can seem overwhelming, (where will I find the time for this?). Breaking a big task into smaller bites makes it easier to eat or easier to address. Sometimes, you get started and it goes faster than you anticipated so you can do several smaller tasks at one time and get the task done quicker than you had thought possible.
4. Break the things you don't want to do into small 10 minute projects. By breaking down things you don't want to do into short tasks, makes it easier to address and again, sometimes once you are into it you might not mind finishing it. But the main goal is to address the task, don't let it linger and don't procrastinate.
5. Plan to produce quality results for yourself and for the job. This means to set high standards so you do the best work the first time and you don't have to go back and redo tasks you have already done. This means, when you need to, limit distractions so you can focus and concentrate. Turn off your phones, wait on e-mails and avoid office conversations. ("Can I talk to you later?") This means plan time to chill during your busy day, take 5 minutes here for some deep breathing, take 10 minutes there for a walk outside just to get some fresh air, and if things get really too intense, consider taking a 1/2 a day or a whole day off to give your body and brain a rest. And BE SURE TO GET A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP, your body needs this, your brain needs this and it will show in your productivity and your results.
EASIER SAID THAN DONE, ABSOLUTELY but like anything worthwhile it takes practice, discipline and repetitive performance and in time, it just becomes your method of doing things. You will feel better, you will do better and you will produce greater results. Try it for a week or two and see how you feel following these 5 steps.
Have a Great Day!
