Having what could be called a successful work day in your business can feel like a very difficult thing to do when you don’t take the time to plan out what you want to accomplish throughout the day or what you’d like to see happen. Spontaneity has its perks, but feeling like a success at the end of the day does involved a good deal of planning and organizing.
Create your Daily Dozen. Tim Foley developed and followed his daily dozen checklist, which he credits with massive success in network marketing. The daily dozen includes simple things like “spend time with family”, “talk to one new person”, and “read for 15 minutes.” Practicing these small steps everyday can built you up for massive success.
Set aside a day to do some planning. Frank Bettger, the author of How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling, wrote about how he would set aside one day of the week to get organized and plan out each day of his week. He was a salesman, so planning in advance allowed him to focus completely on each task as he did them, without having to figure out what he was supposed to do next.
Make a to-do list the night before and review it the next day. It’s usually at the end of the day when our minds are racing with all the things we want to get done. Before you go to sleep, make a to-do list on either a notepad that you carry with you, or on your notes app on your phone. You will be able to rest better, know that you’ve recorded everything on your mind, and you’ll wake up the next day, already knowing what needs to be done.
Manage your tasks, not your time. Some of us underestimate what we can accomplish in a period of time. Alot time slots for each of the tasks you have to do throughout the day, rather than letting one thing bleed into another, or never getting around to them at all. This method helps you be more realistic about how long it takes to complete something, which makes it easier to prioritize and decrease procrastination.
Do what you’re good at and delegate the rest. Don’t waste time trying to figure something out if you are able to give the task to someone who is better at it. Free yourself up to do what you’re good at: You’ll get through your tasks twice as fast.
Do what is important, not urgent. Distinguish what is essential to your business. Your dishes may be piling up, and your logo might be missing a few details, but if it’s more important for you to answer emails from your customers, then you should concentrate on those emails and let the rest wait.
