5 Steps to Super Small Business Productivity

One of the biggest challenges to growing any successful business is figuring out how to get all the things done that are on your ‘To Do’ list. If you’re anything like me, it seems as if the list never goes away and in many cases, seems to multiply like rabbits!

Well, while I definitely no expert at being super-productive, I have found a few things to be extremely beneficial when trying to make sure I satisfy all of my responsibilities and obligations. Here’s a list of the top 5:

1. Make a plan. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “if you fail to plan you plan to fail.” While I won’t go as far as to say that’s 100% accurate, I do certainly think it has some merit.

   If you don’t know what you’re supposed to do and when you’re supposed to do it, chances are you’ll get caught up in one fire drill or another and before you know the day/week/month will be long gone. Taking just a few minutes at the beginning of each new work period will do wonders for your ability to get things done simply because you’ll have focus and direction.

2. Be super-disciplined. This one can be extremely tough. Believe me, I know! However, once you’ve gone through the exercise of planning out your days or weeks, you’re only halfway there.

   Now you have to actually carry through with your plan and I’ll be the first to admit it’s NOT easy! There is never a shortage of distractions or reasons to procrastinate so you’ve got to develop some discipline to make sure you can remain focused on the task at hand when the temptation is there to divert your attention.

3. Set self-imposed deadlines. Unless you give yourself a time limit in which to accomplish your various tasks, chances are you’ll drag the task on for much longer than you want.

   Setting deadlines and time limits will go a long way towards helping you complete the myriad of tasks you have planned each day.

4. Hold yourself accountable. Being self-employed and running your own business definitely has its advantages and disadvantages, and the fact there’s no one standing over you making sure you get things done can be both a blessing and a curse.

   Remember, just as there’s no one telling you how much money you can make, there isn’t anyone telling you when to get things done. This means you’ve got to be the one to make sure you get things done when you say you’ll get them done.

5. Allow for some flexibility. Plain and simple, life happens. Fires pop up. Issues arise. Plans get interrupted. As a result, it’s important to have some flexibility, both in terms of planning your time and in how you actually use your time.

   By having some flexibility built into your plans and mode of operation you give yourself the ability to make course corrections so that you can continually be working on the HIGHEST PRIORITY tasks at all times.

Remember, success in business ultimately boils down to providing a good value for your customers and the more productive you’re able to be, the more opportunity you have to create solutions for your customers. The more solutions you’re able to create or actually deliver, the more customers you’ll have and the more money you’ll generate.

As a result, finding a way to maximize your time and be super-productive should at the top of every entreprenuers list!