131 - Four Tips To Help You Stop Stealing Your Own Time
One of the best perks of being an entrepreneur is the flexibility of being able to make your own schedule. On the contrary, this is also one of our largest struggles. Once you know you make all the rules, it’s as if a huge sign saying “Oh, it can wait until later!” drops out of the heavens and into your hands. Because we are the masters of our “9 to 5” time, we often get lost in our own shuffle of daily methods of operation. I believe there is a word for this, and that word is “procrastination.”
1. Plan each day intentionally.
As a business owner, there should never be a day where you have absolutely nothing to do. From the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep, your days should be filled with activities. And not just random “to-do” lists, but things that are income-producing or life-fulfilling. And if you feel like you need to unwind, plan time to do so. Every moment of every day must be intentional.
2. Keep track of your daily progress.
There is no better feeling than seeing tasks being crossed off your “to-do” list. I’ve found that as I complete things on my lists, the more I can mark off, the more energy I have. I get pumped by seeing progress. Yes, this is when you have to be your own cheerleader! Take note of what days you don’t get everything done. Pay attention to what distracts you so you can keep those things out of your path. This may seem simple but you would be surprised at how difficult it is to manage self instead of others.
3. Treat yourself like you’re an employee, not the boss.
Ask yourself: what characteristics would you want to see in an employee? Would you want them to go through their work day as if they are on their own time? Would you be okay with their excuses for why they didn’t complete every task you assigned them? Would you want to reward them with a raise if they failed to meet your standards? Every now and then, we have to play mind tricks with ourselves to keep us on our toes. As long as the end result is progress, play on! Be the employee you would want to hire. Technically, you are an employee before you’re a boss (even when you work for yourself).
4. Work even when you don’t feel like it.
This one’s a biggie. Naturally, when our mood changes, so does our motivation to work. It’s easier said than done but training your mind to stay in work mode when your body or other outside forces may be telling it to “stop,” is key. You are in a marathon, you may take breaks but breaks delay making it to the finish line. I’m not telling you to let yourself burn out but I am telling you to push through what you feel and focus on your end goal.
The old cliché “Life is short,” couldn’t be closer to the truth; but let’s change our perspective on this. I once heard, “Life is short but it’s the longest thing you will ever do.” When you look at time as being of the essence in every way, your desire to work harder will begin to shift for the better. Everyone is given the same amount of time in one day. If you have the time to work today, why wait until tomorrow? What you choose to do with your time has the capability to make or break your business.
Read the full article here: Huffington Post
All the best!
Patty Block
