Running a business comes with plenty of obstacles! We have to have vison, it takes consistent outreach and marketing, plus there is the delivery of your product or service.
And if you have a service based business, you likely have an entire team to help on the delivery end of your services.
But no matter what business you’re in, we all struggle with the elusive clock! So much to do, and never enough time! Well, let me tell it to you straight! You’re to do list will actually never be done! Of course there are services out there that can help you offload what isn’t your unique brilliance, but if you are focused and deliberate with your actions, there will always be more to do, and more opportunities to say yes to.
So how does one make the most of the 8-12 hours many people put into their businesses every day while still being extremely purposeful and focused on reaching those annual goals?
Let me share with you the simplest yet VERY effective time management hack that I personally use, I call it the 15/45 …
It’s actually quite simple and I’m fairly certain you’ve heard this before… but take my word for it… it WORKS!
So here goes!
The 15 part is what you do the “night before”.
Every night it’s crucial for you to take 15 minutes and decide what 3 things will YOU focus on in your business the next day?
Once you’ve decided the TOP 3 things that will get done the next day, right them down!
What are the 3 things you need TO DO to move you forward. (and if you don’t own a business, remember, all these tips can be used for your “family” which in my eyes is the biggest most important biz out there! So this works for you too!)
Here’s an example of one of mine!
- Write blog post about 15/45
- Follow up with people who have an interest in our services ( I have a separate list that I track those on )
- Review and approve my final edits of 100+ ways to use a concierge ( I can give this away to people who are interested in our service )
That’s it!!
Easy right?
But what happens when I DON’T do it?? I get hijacked in the morning by OPP! (Other people’s problems)
If I do NOT give myself that structure, I will end up starting off my day trying to figure out what I should really be doing and focus on that day. But when distractions take over and I do NOT have my 3 things clearly defined, the morning will already be started and I’m grappling to figure out what’s “most important” which will inevitably be the easiest 3 things I can do instead of the 3 things I really need to be doing to move the business forward.
Sound familiar?
Now, the 45 part goes like this!
In the morning before you meander into your office or at LEAST before you open your laptop, sit down and get “ready” to set yourself up for a great day!
So, what does that look like?
- I.G. baby!
Begin in gratitude! I will open my journal and list 10 things I am grateful for. I will focus on gratitude for every area of my life, not just my business. It just puts you in the right mindset to start your day. You are starting and beginning in gratitude! So simple, yet so many people dive right into their computer, get distracted and never take the time to acknowledge what they already have! Just by being grateful, you will ultimately attract more good things into your life. It’s law!
- Review your Big Goals!
On my desk I have a binder! Inside that binder is a list of Big goals I’m working on this year. Most are for my business and a few are for my personal and family life. I begin reviewing them and reading them over and begin to visualize all the amazing things that are happening, bringing me closer! What opportunities I have in front of me. By knowing where I am headed I can be sure to be purposeful in everything I do and say yes to J
- Visualize the day!
This is something I started doing after reading several Law of Attraction books. I will sit there, with an open heart and mind. I then look at the Top 3 things I wrote the night before and I visualize myself navigating through the day, getting these things done! I think about having a positive outcome during a sales call. Or I’ll intend to make one new great connection at a networking event I’m going to that day. I can’t tell you how much this has effected not only my productivity… but the actual outcomes! (It can’t hurt to try!)
So that’s it! This is one of the greatest strategies I have to being masterfully productive other than delegation of course!
So what do you think would happen to your day if you instituted the 15/45??
Here’s to being purposefully productive!
