I struggle with getting everything done, just like everyone else. All my life I've tried to cram too much into each day. Then I had a baby, and - well, you know that's like adding 3 more full-time jobs to your schedule.
So when people ask me how I get so much done, I try to think about what I'm doing that many others aren't.
One thing I've learned to do is delegate. I'm not perfect at this - I'm still learning to give things away. But each week that goes by, I let a little more go. If a task doesn't require me personally to get it done, it should be done by someone else.
But delegating isn't my biggest secret. Of course, that really isn't even a secret. Most of us know that we should delegate more. We just have to start doing it.
My best secret for getting more done comes from a quote from marketing guru, Dan Kennedy:
"Good enough is good enough"
This phrase usually horrifies perfectionists (which I know most of you are). But being absolutely perfect about everything is also something we need to let go.
Just think about this newsletter. When I first started doing newsletters, I spent days putting each one together. I'd take a few hours to write an article. Then I'd edit it, re-write it, and edit it again. Then I would send it to a few friends to get their opinion. "Make sure you find any typos and grammar mistakes," I'd say. After correcting it a few more times, I had to send it to myself to proof it yet again. It was a miracle that I got even one newsletter out each month.
I did the same with all my promotional materials - which meant I never had anything done! I was afraid to put up a website or send out flyers because they weren't perfect yet. What if there was a mistake? What if some people didn't like it? What a waste of my time!
As you probably see now - I am not so worried about being perfect. There are often mistakes in my articles, and my grammar isn't perfect. I just try to write from my heart, and then I SEND IT OUT.
And I get so much more done! Can you do the same? While there are certainly things that should still require your perfectionist attitude (like providing immense value to your clients and having great customer service), there are many things that do not. For these tasks, you must remember:
Good enough is good enough.
Wow - I wrote this article in less than an hour. I'd invite you to find all my goofs, but that would be a waste of your time. Go do something constructive!
