7 SIMPLE PRODUCTIVITY TIPS FOR BUSY ENTREPRENEURS
ARE YOU READY TO MAKE 2022 THE YEAR WHERE YOU GET MORE DONE, ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS, AND STILL HAVE TIME FOR YOUR FAMILY? LET ME HELP YOU GET YOUR TIME BACK WITH MY FREE PRODUCTIVITY PLANNER!
It’s a new year, so that means a new YOU right?!
And maybe one of your New Year’s Resolutions or goals is to be more productive so that you still have time to do the things you love.
Or maybe you know that you could be a lot more efficient with things in your business, but you’re not sure of the best ways to be productive.
Well, you’ve come to the right place because I am sharing some of the best productivity tips that I use in my life + business that has helped to save my time + energy – and make more money as well!
POMODORO METHOD
This is absolutely one of my favorite productivity methods – and a method most high-performing entrepreneurs use to focus their time + energy.
The Pomodoro Method is a productivity strategy where you set a timer for 25 minutes, and after those 25 minutes are up, you take a 5-minute break.
The goal is to work on ONE THING for those 25 minutes, giving it your full focus and attention. And if you’re not done with it after 25 minutes, take your 5-minute break and come back to it!
Not only has this method helped me stay focused + efficient in my work time, but those 5-minute breaks come in handy for getting things done around my house! My favorite app to use is called Focus Keeper and it’s completely free! (Now, I need to figure out how to get it on my new Apple Watch so I don’t have to rely on hearing my phone from the other room during my breaks!)
TIME BLOCKING
I feel time blocking and Pomodoro go hand in hand. Want to know what to work on during your 25-minute focus sessions? Time blocking can help you do that!
I love to first set up my ideal schedule and then use it to know what I’m working on each day. You can check out this post on time blocking or grab my Time Blocking 101 Course for the full tutorial on how to time block efficiently!
SINGLE-TASKING
Quick question for you: how many tabs do you have open on your computer desktop right now?
Follow-up questions: how many of those tabs are you actively using?
There’s nothing wrong with having tabs open (I have 5 open as I am writing this - which is A LOT for me), but trying to work on multiple things at once is actually keeping you from being productive.
When you lose focus and jump from one thing to another (or try to work while you’re on a call or listening to a podcast), ou can’t fully focus your attention on both things. I always like to use the brushing teeth example for this:
You’re supposed to brush your teeth for 2 minutes, but 2 minutes of just standing + staring at yourself makes it feel like an eternity. So, what do you do? You put away laundry, you pick up around the house, you check + respond to emails, etc.
And then, you realize you actually have been brushing your teeth for 20 minutes instead of just 2. (Or just holding a toothbrush in your mouth for 20 minutes and not actually brushing your teeth at all).
Trying to do 2 things at once is a distraction, so this year, try focusing all your time + attention on just ONE thing at a time and see how much more you get done during your day.
WEEKLY RESET + PLANNING SESSION
Y’all know I’m addicted to planning, but it’s the one thing that helps me stay on top of my to-do list and get things done that NEED to be done every single week. Without it, I would never know what is happening and when. (Unfortunately, I can’t be like my husband who relies on me to tell him when things are. I love the guy, but not having to be everyone’s calendar would be awesome.)
So, each week I do what I like to call a weekly reset + planning session. I like to do these on Friday if possible, but sometimes, they happen on Sundays instead. I sit down with my planner and plan out everything for the week. I also meal plan, grocery shop, clean the house, etc. on that day as well. It gets me ready for the weekend (and the week ahead) so I can actually focus on rest and relaxation when it comes to my weekend.
PRIORITIZE
I get it… you have a to-do list that seems never-ending. When you look at it, you don’t know where to start and you can never seem to get anything actually crossed off. (And you’ll focus on the WRONG thing that’s not even on your to-do list, and then write it down just so you can cross something off.)
Instead of looking at a mile-long to-do list, pick the top THREE things that need to get done each day - and put the rest aside. This is like the single-tasking that we already talked about. Not only will it help you to focus on less or even just one thing at a time, but you also won’t feel nearly as overwhelmed because you’ve cut your to-do list by 90%.
To pick your “top 3,” think about what is important vs. what is urgent. Start with things that are BOTH first and then move down to urgent and then important. Anything else can wait!
BOUNDARIES
I’ll admit that this is one of the hardest things for me to do. Does anyone really enjoy saying no?
But, having boundaries, not only with your time but with the people who suck the time away from you, can make a huge difference in your productivity!
The one thing I always remember when I struggle to say no because I’ll feel guilty or can’t think of a valid excuse is something I heard Alli Worthington say at a conference:
Jesus was sinless. And Jesus said no. A lot. So saying no isn’t a sin.
LEARN TO DELEGATE
You can’t do it all my friend – as much as you want to have control over everything in your business, it is costing you time, energy, creativity, and money.
It’s time to learn how to delegate + outsource!
When I first started outsourcing things in my business, I started really simple and small. I hired a VA to just schedule my blogs, emails, and social media posts for me. I would write it all on Wednesday nights (while my daughter was at gymnastics) and she would schedule it all for me.
And the next month, I tripled my income.
Once you have some systems in place, it’s time to delegate the things YOU don’t need to be the one doing so you can focus on what YOU do best!
Now, I know I shared several different methods with you, but don’t feel like you have to run with all of them right away. Start with one and add as you see fit! And let’s see how much time + energy you save in the New Year!
Feel like you’re drowning in your business and don’t know how to make the best use of your time? A 1:1 Intensive Session can help you create a schedule to make the best use of your time, strategize systems so that you can be more efficient, and learn how to delegate so you can focus on what you do best!
