You know what it is you need to do to grow your business… all you have to do is…

•  Update your CRM
•  Review your marketing plan
•  Spend 6 hours a week on your social media
•  Review your Linked In profile
•  Put new case studies on your website
•  Follow up all your leads
•  Keep going to networking events
•  Sort out your email system
•  Re-file all your documentation
•  Get your accounts up to date
•  Oh yes – and service your customers…

“I’ve got a task list that keeps going round and round in my head”

And it’s enough to give you sleepless nights for the next ten years. That’s easy to fix. All you need to do is…

STOP

No matter how productive you are, you have limits. You need to eat and sleep – and do them well, to make the most of your productive time.

“But these things need doing!”

Of course they do. However, if you’re not realistic, how much of it will you get done? Probably nothing.
Here’s 54 degrees’ single tip for improving your productivity and feeling more calm…

PRIORITISE

“That’s easier said than done. It all needs doing, you know!”

Right, so here’s how to move forward.

1. First, isolate one task that MUST be done NOW – what is bugging you most? If there isn’t a single most urgent item, then decide what would help you most in your business – for example re-organising your admin or workflow systems, increasing your customer base, your income streams, or developing your social media strategy.

2. Decide what NOW means to you – this week, this month, before next year? Prioritising items does not mean that the other items are forgotten. It just means that they wait a week or until next month – the timescales are yours to decide.

3. Put your chosen priority at the top of your list, forget the other items for the moment, and FOCUS

4. Then, decide on your timescale for this priority item. Maybe there is a conference coming up in 6 weeks and you want your CRM system in place by then.  Now you can consider what tasks actually need doing in that 6 week period in order to achieve that goal. Try not to make this period too long – if you have a 6 month deadline it is too far ahead to plan in any realistic detail. 3 months should be the max.

5. Before you plough on with the tasks to achieve your goal, make sure you have considered which of these tasks will realistically fit into your six-week deadline – not forgetting any other commitments for this period.

6. Is there anyone who can help with anything? Even my seven-year-old daughter helped me out by sorting all my tax receipts into piles by type!

7. Schedule the tasks in your diary.

8. Do you have the capacity in that 6 week period to work on any other items from your list? If the answer is yes, then return to the list and start the prioritising process again.

9. Once you feel your six-week period is full, return to your original list and put a realistic high level deadline against each one. Putting a timeframe around your goals allows you space to relax and focus on the priorities whilst knowing you will not forget the others.

10. Once you are well underway with your first priority, set a small amount of time aside to plan a similar approach to the second priority, and so on.

Before you know it you will be moving forward in a calm and stress-free manner – no more sleepless nights!

And remember, plans may need to change – and that is OK – a plan is just a forecast of what you think might happen, and as you get closer to the actual work the more likely it is that your forecast will be spot on!

If you like this approach to delivering more efficiently and effectively and would like to hear more then – just call Sarah on 07976 395754

Happy Planning 🙂