One of the things I love about working with entrepreneurs is that they’re excited about their work and they’re passionate about their ideas. They love their businesses (most of the time).
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that many entrepreneurs don’t always feel like they’re getting anything done … despite the long hours and hard work. They’re pretty sure they’re being inefficient and feel like there’s never enough time in the day.
And that can be exhausting. The fix?
1. Get clear about what you’re trying to accomplish. I see clients every day who are heading in 10 different directions all at once. They jump from one thing to the next and back without any clear destination, always putting out fires or chasing the next shiny object. They are afraid of missing out on the next big thing.
The best way to do this is to take time to make measurable goals that are easy to comprehend. For example: “Next year I want to increase revenue by $25,000;” “I want 12 more monthly retainer clients;” “I want to delegate 4-8 hours of work per week to an assistant.”
2. Make a plan that supports your goal. If your goal is to increase revenue by $25,000, identify five or six activities to support that objective. This might include raising prices, additional public speaking, attending more networking events, writing a newsletter, publishing on LinkedIn, etc.
Be intentional about this. This is how you are going to spend your time to reach your goal.
3. Set up support systems. In order to know whether you’re carrying out your plan, it’s important to track what you’re doing. For example, part of your plan to increase revenue next year is to attend at least one networking event a month, meet with one new person every week, publish your newsletter every other week, and speak at six events. There’s no way to easily track the progress in your head, so track your success each week into an Excel spreadsheet.
Will you miss your mark? Yes, sometimes. Does it help to see what you’re actually doing so you can make mid-course corrections? Absolutely!
4. Don’t be afraid to say no. If you get a request that’s not aligned with your goal, it’s important to say no. If you have a bright idea that’s also not aligned with your goal (no matter how bright) it’s equally important to say no.
Do your goal setting and planning in a quiet space. Also, do it separately from your day-to-day activities. Be clear in your language and remove any uncertainty. Stick with it, even when you’re feeling short on time or energy. Be sure to add time to keep updating your systems.
In the end, you’ll feel more focused, get more done and enjoy your business a lot more than you thought you could.