Stop Spinning Plates: 7 Tips to Being More Productive (part 1)

Over and over I am asked, “How can you do so many different things?”  “Aren’t you spinning a lot of plates?” (I got asked that one so many times I wrote a book about it- “Stop Spinning Plates”…)  And yes, I am involved in many different activities and yet, I am not very different from other successful business owners.   The really successful business owners also seem to get so much done in a small amount of time. To some degree, that’s because they are doing the same thing over and over and they have it down to a science (see my blog post about systems to learn more http://bit.ly/businesssystems .)

However, they also follow some tried and true time management tactics to stay focused and make the most of every minute. Here are 3 of 7 top time-management tips which will help you get more done every day, leading you to the success you deserve.

Tip 1-  Schedule Your Work

Whether you are working on your business full time, part time, or sporadically, make sure you set aside specific time each day or week to focus on work and getting work activities done.  In order to be successful, you need to not only work “In” your business you need time to work “on” your business.  Schedule your personal commitments as well so you know that they are being taken care of and you can focus on “work” during “work hours”.

Tip 2-  Chunk Everything

Once you establish your goals, create your targets that you are going to accomplish as milestones to reaching your overall goals.  Break down your work into tasks and priorities for each day. You should identify 3 key things you want to accomplish each day and then the minor tasks.

Tip 3- Time Yourself

It’s amazing how much faster you can work if you know you have a time limit. Decide the amount of time that is truly needed for each task if you are focused only on that activity.  Then use a timer to keep yourself honest. You’ll spend less time perfecting every little detail and more time just getting everything done. A kitchen timer works perfectly, or you can use a timer app or alarm on your smart phone or computer.  Take scheduled breaks and time them as well so you get back to work on time and can stay on your schedule.

If you use just these 3 tips to help you manage your time, you will find that you are more productive; more focused and quickly will be getting more work done in less time.  And you know what that means, more time for YOU and fun!  What are you going to do with all your extra time?