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Don’t be busy, be productive!

Want to get more done in your business without spending more time? Today I share 3 techniques that you can easily implement to ramp up your productivity. It’s easy to get caught in the whir of “busyness”. How many people do you talk to that say “I’m so busy” or “I’m flat out, I have so much to do”? I’d like you to take a step back and really think about these comments thoughts. You’ve likely at some point said these aloud to someone or to yourself. I’d like to suggest that what you’re really saying is a version of “I’m important”. Modern society has bought into this idea that “I am busy, therefore I matter/what I do matters”. This is why it’s often difficult for many of us to not be busy.

Have you ever looked at the definition of “busy”?  Busy= “having a great deal to do”. Let’s look at the definition of “productive”. Productive= “Producing or having the power to produce”. Do you see the difference? “Busy” is having many things to do. “Productive” is actually producing something, creating results, creating the outcomes you want. When you switch your focus to being productive and actually producing results, the more you can accomplish in less time. Want some of that?           Me too. That’s why I implemented these 3 Productivity Hacks to create more in my business without spending more time.

  1. Create Specific Outcomes
    Get specific about what you want completed and by when. Not just for your goals, but for every task you do. Productivity is about creating outcomes, getting things done. You need to decide what you will get done now, in this particular time that you will work on this task.
    Example: If your task is to write an article: Your specific outcome might be that you will write the introduction and the outline for the article within 1 hour. Specific outcome (introduction + outline) and specific time frame (within 1 hour).
  1. Don’t multi-task
    Multi-tasking is a myth. Your brain cannot do two things at once. What it actually does is switch from doing one thing to doing another. And guess what? This slows you down. Do only one thing at a time. Give it all your attention and focus.
  1. Compress time
    More is completed in compressed time, so your job is to compress time. How? Simply set a shorter period of time than you normally would to spend on a task. Set a timer and aim to complete the task within that shorter period of time. Most of us do this exceptionally well, unconsciously. Ever leave a task to the last minute? You suddenly have a shorter period of time in which to complete the task to meet the deadline. You work like crazy, completely focused, and, guess what? You get it done in a very short space of time. The trick is to use this technique consciously to compress time regularly with your tasks way before their deadlines. Try it! I think you’ll find that this will take your productivity to a whole new level!


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Feeling out of your depth?

Feeling Out Of Your Depth?

Ever get that gnawing feeling inside and find yourself thinking “I don’t know what I’m doing”? I get it a lot, usually as I’m embarking on a project I haven’t done before. The idea of starting the project was exciting and then as I decide to start working on it…anxiety strikes. I suddenly feel out of my depth. I have a plan but it somehow seems uphill all of a sudden. I feel uncomfortable and can already see overwhelm approaching… and I’ve only just started. Do you know what I’m talking about? When your drive and confidence melt into doubt.
Well, the good news is, this is not just us. This is what most people experience when starting something new. How do I know? Because it’s the natural workings of the human brain. Your mind is the most powerful resource you have and also the one thing that can and will prevent you from achieving the life and business you really want. Feeling out of your depth is actually a natural response from a thought you are having in your mind. The thought might be “I don’t know if I can do this” (this is a popular one) or as I mentioned before “I don’t know what I’m doing”. These thoughts are just thoughts, not facts. Our challenge in these situations is to learn to notice these thoughts and then move on without buying into them. The more we can practice doing this, the better we become at it. Next time you start to feel anxiety creeping in, ask yourself “what am I thinking right now about this situation?” If it’s something negative, just gently remind yourself that it’s just your human brain’s response to something unfamiliar. Don’t let it stop you from moving forward.

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#1 Mistake Made When Setting Goals

There is an additional step in the goal setting process that seems to get left out by most people. It is the #1 mistake that often costs us the results we truly want. Instead of being able to work towards the goal consistently over time, we get derailed and often don’t end up completing the process and achieving that goal. You may have experienced this and concluded that “maybe goals don’t really work for my kind of projects”, or maybe “I just can’t seem to stick to my goals”. This experience is common when working towards a goal when you have not taken that extra goal-setting step. You can eliminate this circular process of stop-start and resulting feelings of frustration just by adding in one extra step when setting your goals.
So what is that step? Have a specific plan to achieve your goal. Each goal needs a specific plan, or pathway mapped, to get you to the finish line (the goal). Having the finish line in mind is important, but mapping the way will help so much more. So, where to start? Think about where you are now in relation to your goal. There is a gap between where you are now and where your goal is at the end. Think of the space in between the two as a “no-man’s land”. You want to create points to aim for as you cross this wide open space. Aiming to get to the other side is not enough. So firstly, look at what steps need to happen to get you to your goal. Make a list of every task and action that needs to happen. Then think about obstacles that might come up. What things might hinder your progress? For example, your goal might be to acquire 5 new clients by the end of June. An obstacle that might come up could be that you are not getting enough leads to acquire those 5 clients. So the obstacle is generating enough leads. Write this down on your list with all the other tasks. So now you should have a list of tasks/actions  and obstacles that will fill the space between you and your goal achievement. You’ve essentially created a series of smaller goals to get you to your larger goal. The next step is to assign those tasks and obstacles to overcome in your calendar and to set deadlines for each. That’s it.
Now as you work on your goal, you are working on a mini goal, the smaller part of the whole. This provides a stepping process for you to keep moving along towards the end goal. It creates outcomes along the way which are the small wins that will keep you motivated. It breaks things down into smaller pieces which makes it easier to manage and creates a smaller part for you to focus on. This also helps reduce that feeling of overwhelm. It also provides a time-frame for getting all the smaller steps done. Rather than feeling there is a never-ending list of things to do before you can get to the goal, you can instead focus on each step one at a time, knowing that it leads you to the larger goal. It is this knowing that you have mapped a path that makes you feel that you are actually on track to achieving your goal. And feeling on track will keep you motivated which will ultimately ensure the achievement of your goal.

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The Power Of Priorities

Do you feel focused and purposeful in your business? Or is it more like a “buzzing” of busyness and not many outcomes at the end of your week? I have one simple strategy to recommend that will rid you of this “busyness” instantly. 
Why are we so busy? Because we think we need to do everything and that everything is important. This makes us over work and fractures our focus. At the end of the week there is not much to show for all of that out-pouring of energy. Is this really what your business and lifestyle was meant to look like? 
You can take back control right now: stop treating all tasks equally. This means you need to simply find and follow your true business priorities. What are the top 3 tasks that only you can do, that drive your business forward? Is it sales? Is it consulting? Is it networking? Creating content? Sit down and take time to consider the most important things you need to do that will make the difference to your business. Narrow it down to 3 priorities only. These are your Power Priorities. Power Priorities go first, above all else on your task list. Better still, create a chunk of time in your schedule that is only for these Power Priorities. How much time can you spend on them in a week? What if you doubled that or tripled it? What would the results be? Put it in your schedule and find out. Focusing on your Power Priorities will make you feel more purposeful but it will also get you results. At the end of your week and compounding over time, you will have more and more hours spent on the things that are truly building your business. You will create real results and a sense of focus and purpose you’ve never had before, I promise. Try it!