Activity does not equal accomplishment...

Sometimes we get bogged down in the day to day "details" or tasks that we need to accomplish to operate our business. We're always swamped with too much to do and sometimes at the end of the day it appears that we now have more work to do than we started with in the morning. How did that happen? Well if you are talented and are always generating new business then you will always be increasing your workload. That's a good thing right?

I often have said that if I had more time I could generate more income and make all of the money I wanted to. Well it's true... but we have a limited amount of time available to us and we have to live within these constraints. (Unless you want to get into quantum physics and then this wouldn't necessarily be true... but that's a different conversation for a different time.)

You need to become more efficient with your use of outsourcing, your choice and use of tools, and your use of your available time....again that's YOUR use of YOUR available time. If you have employees you need to work on more efficient use of delegating some of your less important tasks to your employees. Most small business owners are control freaks and we want to do it all ourselves. I know, I've been there myself. It's scientifically and physically impossible to do it all yourself... unless you have very little business and no growth and if that is the case than you should just go get a job working for someone else.

Notice I put outsourcing first, tools second and time last. If you learn to outsource properly you'll instantly reduce your workload and you will have more time. If you acquire and use the proper tools you will become more efficient and you will have more time.

Outsourcing

I offer many articles about outsourcing for small businesses on this Web site. What you might outsource is very dependent upon your capabilities, which of those capabilities you are best at, and what tasks you really like and dislike.  Make it easy on yourself and outsource the things you don't like to do and aren't good at. You work on the things that you like and are very good at. Just do what you love and you will love what you do.

Tools

I've got tons of business tools at my disposal. Some are paper tools, IE: charts, forms, work sheets that I have created along the way to make my life easier for accomplishing many of my repetitive tasks. Some are computer programs. Most of these are specific to audio and video production, graphic design and  Web development. Some are Web based. I personally am trying to use as many Web based tools as possible and am slowly converting my non-Web based tools to the Web as I find them.

Time

While the "details" are important, many times getting all of the details out of the way doesn't leave room in the day for the important tasks that will actually make us money.

To make the most of your day you have to focus and incorporate limits on the "details" that will leave you time to "get stuff done." Focusing is tough. It's not easy to do it all of the time and it seems that something always comes up to get in your way. Practice these steps and it will become easier and easier to focus and to get some real work done as you progress through your day, your week, and your life. These steps can be applied to accomplish more during your work day, to further your career, to achieve personal financial goals and to achieve your goals in your personal life.

To get stuff done follow these rules:

1. Focus on the Wildly important
2. Create a compelling scoreboard
3. Translate lofty goals into specific actions
4. If there is more than one of you working together: Hold each other accountable - All of the time
5. If you are working alone: Hold yourself accountable - All of the time