What is the no. 1 answer you hear these days in response to the question: "Hey, how are you?" All I ever hear people say is "oh, busy...I'm so busy!" My goodness, I am so sick and tired of hearing that from people. We're all busy - but, for me, my preferred answer to that question is simply: "I'm so happy, thanks!"
"Those who make the worst use of their time are the first to complain of its brevity." - Jean de la Bruyere
Each and every time I work with my coaching clients and/or lead my master mind groups, we get into the discussion of time (and energy) management. This is a huge issue for people, in general, and for entrepreneurs, in particular. Time is money!
When I hear clients saying "I need more customers. I need to make more money!" - the first thing I examine is their time management (and energy) skills. It is very common to identify some major time wasters that have become habits. The good news with this is that habits can be changed.
The #1 time waster, in my opinion is e-mail!!!! Learn to manage that and watch your time and energy unfold...
We don't change our habits, however, until and unless we identify the pay value. Once you have set a goal - whether it is to get more clients, to make more money, to have more freedom, to plan for more self-care - that's when it becomes critical to explore your habits, on a daily basis.
Let me share a recent case study with you. I have a client who is self-employed and who is in the business of offering support services to entrepreneurs. She is an entrepreneur herself! Here are some of the steps we took to help her 'find more time' in her day, get more balance in her life, make more money and be a happier person. She was feeling very overwhelmed and ineffective when we started working together.
Step #1: Identify some specific goals that you want to accomplish. Make a list - and ensure that you do, in fact, want to accomplish these things - because I'm not just talking about any old 'To Do' list here. (e.g. I want to attract 3 new clients this month. I want to create $10,000 revenue this month. I want to launch my first tele-seminar this month.)
Step #2: Plan to track your time, from dawn to dusk, for 5 consecutive days, in half-hour segments. Now this is where the insight comes from - because much of what we do each day has definitely just become routine. Track your time from:
a. early morning (are you planning for, and getting, your exercise routine accomplished? Why not?......typically, it's because you haven't planned for it! - my exercise clothes are right beside my bed - no excuses!) Self-care is a huge part of the success formula for entrepreneurs! You should start your work day with a revenue generating activity - that one habit will ensure you grow your business and make more money.
b. mid-day: now is the time to check e-mail! If you have developed the habit of checking e-mail first thing in the morning (even before you've brushed your teeth!) - you'll get sucked into that vortex and that will be the end of your productive, revenue-generating time. Trust me!
c. end of work day: (note I said end of 'work day' - not end of day!) - have you developed a black bump in the palm of your hand, or on the side of your belt? What's with that? Who needs to be THAT connected? This bad habit, of checking e-mails (or Twitter, Facebook.....you name it) all through the evening is seriously affecting relationships at home these days. There IS more to life.
(Note - I recommend to clients that they check e-mail at 8 a.m., 12 noon and 4 p.m. - and that's it!)
Step #3: Once you've tracked your time for 5 consecutive days, check each item in the half-hour segments and mark whether or not your activity was an "R" (for revenue generating) or an "NR" (for non-revenue generating). This is where you will find your solutions - and the answers as to how you can add time to your day and money to your bank account! Take a really close look at the NR activities and move them to a separate page. Now go to Step 4!
Step #4: Time to outsource and delegate! Seriously! If you are in business for yourself, then your 'job' is to do your talent - not all the administrative things that are currently eating up your day (let alone things like laundry, running errands, banking, etc. that many of you who work at home are doing during the work day - that's a whole other article!) So, take a deep breath and know that, YES, you can afford to do this - hire people to do the NR activities for you. Then you can focus on the "R" activities and go make more money, each and every day. Breathe! Now go to Step 5.......
Step #5: Control Your Self Talk to be positive and forward thinking. Yes, you CAN afford to (at a minimum) hire a Virtual Assistant (VA) to help you in your business. Stop telling yourself that you can't afford it, 'why should I be paying someone else to do this work when I can do it, it's going to take me longer just to train them', etc. etc. etc. Rather, focus on telling yourself: I deserve this! I am a money-making machine! I allow my income to constantly expand so that I am grateful to pay my team members.
Step #6: Make time for you! Self care is critical when you are in business for yourself. Stop letting your business control you - you must take control. When you are 'at work', then work! Once you have implemented some of the steps above, be sure to include in your calendar time for you - for your workouts, for your family, for your friends - but not during the "R' times of your day. Work is work. Play is play. Once your work-day is over, turn off the blackberry - back away from the I-Phone - and put focus and energy back into the rest of your life.
ASSIGNMENT
1. Decide, today, to keep track of your activities.
2. Make the list.
3. Make a commitment to change at least one NR activity - and use that time to generate some revenue for your business.
Put some of these basics in place and I guarantee you will not only find more time in your day, but you will make more money as well. When you develop new skills, you are developing the confidence and courage to move forward and invent the life, and the business, you truly want. You will be much more comfortable and successful in the overall scheme of things.
