Do you ever feel at the end of the day you were super unproductive? That you really could’ve done more? More tasks could’ve been completed, more words written or you just didn’t feel entirely present that day. Don’t feel too bad, we’ve all been there. Here’s some hacks that will help you beat those days and become even more productive during the day.
Wake up earlier
If you haven’t heard it said already you’re hearing it now. Becoming an early riser is probably one of the most popular hacks to become more successful and make the most of your time. Successful people are often early risers. Start your day off the right way in the morning, enjoying the quiet and peacefulness is a great way to charge up for the day. It also ensures you will have time to eat a wholesome breakfast which is the most important meal of the day.
Write down the 3 most important tasks for the day
Before you start working on anything in the morning, write down your three most important tasks for the day. Being specific with your description helps you manage your time wisely. Avoid being vague, use more than three words in your description. Saying something like “research printers” can easily allow you to get distracted and your search can become unproductive. Whereas saying something like “find and compare prices on printers” is more specific and clearly states what you are doing.
Use a password manager
Most of us are constantly on the internet during the day, which means that logins and passwords are frequently being used. Trying to remember all of them or digging through papers to find where you may have quickly jotted it down is definitely not time efficient. Use a password manager to keep all your logins and passwords in the same place. This makes them easy to find and input. It may seem like a waste of time transferring all your passwords but it saves time in the long run. You will no longer have to remember all of them or go through the process of resetting a password when you can’t remember one. Simple things like this make you more efficient during your day as well as keeping your information more secure and organized.
Set quarterly goals rather than yearly goals
Setting yearly goals can sometimes be tricky. Your business is changing every few months, thus making your goals tough to reach. Quarterly goals are easier to achieve and ensure you stay on track. Don’t get too carried away with how many goals you set, this can overwhelm you as you reach your “due date.” Instead set a few major or most important goals to keep you focused and preserve your energy for what’s most important as your business grows.
Understand the value of your time
As a business owner you take on a variety of tasks everyday. Some of which are your specialty and some that aren’t. If you have tasks that are better suited for an expert but you’re not prepared to hire an employee to do the job, consider outsourcing to a freelancer, contractor or other professional fitting for the job.
Monitor and measure your activities
Keep track of ways you spend your time, limit areas that are not being as profitable or efficient as they could be. By continually analyzing your work you will avoid spending time on things that aren’t as profitable as they once were, and be able to determine which tasks are taking longer than usual. Some examples are:
- Using Google Analytics – using this tool gives insight to what is effectively driving traffic to your website and what isn’t. If Facebook is generating more traffic than Twitter, more of your time should be spent on Facebook.
- Track your time – time yourself to see how long it takes to complete a project and if it could be taking up to much of your time that it’s no longer profitable. Seeing it this way may justify that you pass on the task to an employee, hire an employee or outsource it.
Finding some ways to manage your time will help make you more productive and therefore more profitable, which every business owner is looking for!