One of the things I love about my clients is they’re all entrepreneurs. They’re excited about their work and they’re passionate about their ideas. They love their businesses (mostly) as if it were one of their children. And they spend a lot of time working. 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. And that’s exhausting. The antidote? 🤔
- Get clear about what you’re trying to accomplish. 👍🏽 I see clients every day who are heading in 15 directions all at once. They jump from one thing to the next and back without any clear destination, always chasing the next shiny object.
The best way to do this is to take time to make measurable goals that are easy to articulate. Here’s a few examples: “In 2020 I want to increase revenue by $30,000”; “I want 10 more monthly retainer clients”; “I want to delegate 10 hours of work per week to an assistant”.
- Make a plan that supports your goal. If your goal is to increase revenue by $30,000, 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 deliberate about this. This is how you are going to spend your time. 👏🏽
- Set up support systems. To know whether you’re carrying out your plan, it’s important to track what you’re doing. For example: to increase revenue this year is to attend at least two networking events a month, have 3 one-on-ones each week and meet one new person, and post on LinkedIn once per week. There’s no way to track your progress in your head, so you create a spreadsheet to track your success each week.
Will you be flawless in your execution? Probably not. Does it help to see what you’re actually doing so you can make mid-course corrections? Absolutely
- 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 not aligned with your goal (no matter how bright) it’s equally important to say no. 🙂
Do your goal setting and planning in quiet. Also, do it separately from your day to day activities. Be clear in your language and remove any ambiguity. 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.
Things I Can’t Live Without: My Capresso Kettle!
An investment I will never regret! I remember the first time I saw this kettle. I was visiting my sister (in 2010) and I heard water boling but nothing was on the stove. I followed the sound and saw the kettle right before it switched off – it does not whistle.
Surprised, I asked her “What is that?” (having an idea of what it was) and she said “my Capresso kettle”. She gave me the inside scoop about it, I gushed about how wonderful it is, and she proceeded to give me one as a gift. I have never looked back since. 💃🏽
I can literally take it anywhere because the base is very small with space to store the electrical cord. I use only bottled water, and it is the only appliance in my apartment that needs very little maintenance. Seriously though, they make great gifts for tea lovers. 👏🏽
