Endless energy, continuous ideas, and a multitude of opportunities. These are just some of the descriptions of a business owner. However, one item that is usually missing in such a description is an overabundance of time. This resource, time, is not an infinite commodity. While there is no machine that can create an additional 8 hours each day, there are certainly ways to optimize each hour we have in a day. By finding more time in each day, we will not only prioritize ourselves to focus on the goal we are striving to accomplish but also will reach this goal more quickly by monitoring our progress, avoiding distractions, and delegating.
Focus
It would be incredible if every goal could be worked on and accomplished simultaneously. Unfortunately, this is not realistic. In fact, sometimes we find ourselves creating multiple weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals because the more goals you reach, the more quickly you grow, learn, and are able to more easily accomplish more challenging goal(s). With this being said, it’s also important to recognize what goal(s) are most important to you. We are only able to focus on so many areas of our life and unfortunately, we all know when our focus shifts, other areas of our life suffer. So, how do you know what goal(s) to focus on? You must prioritize the goal(s) that you are passionate about or will fulfill your life and bring the most value. If it's a business goal, perhaps choose the goal that will yield the most value with the least amount of disruption. If it's a personal goal, perhaps choose the goal that will yield a massive positive impact on your life and provide you the ability to give back more to others. Once you identify these goal(s), you can begin working on your strategy to set these goal(s) and monitor them until they are successfully conquered!
Set Goal & Monitor Progress
In order to reach any goal, you must be as specific as possible around your exact goal and how you are going to accomplish it. Successful people make very specific goals and as a result, accomplish their goals more quickly. First, whether you prefer writing your strategy on paper, computer, or other electronic device, you must write it down so you are able to monitor your progress daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the timeline of reaching your goal. You cannot merely keep track of a goal in your mind. Second, after clearly establishing your goal and how you will accomplish it, it’s important to create benchmarks so you’re able to effectively measure your progress and address deviations along the way. While you may encounter small departures along the way, consistently hitting benchmarks and monitoring your progress will ensure a successful path to conquer your goal and prevent going off course. Third, depending on the type of goal, it’s smart to choose an accountability partner that will become an additional layer of insurance to keep you focused and motivated along the way. Fourth, celebrate your progress every step of the way, you are your biggest cheerleader!
Avoid Distractions
Technology, it certainly has its advantages and disadvantages. While we can all likely agree its benefits of improving our efficiency and rate of productivity outweigh the costs, technology does require a lot of our time by way of answering emails and calls, surfing the Internet, browsing social media, and texting. Although some individuals are better than others at multi-tasking, the smallest interruption may create a loss of continuity to completely focus on the task at hand. As a countermeasure, it’s advised to establish specific times throughout the day with zero distractions so you’re able to remain focused on your journey of accomplishing your goal(s). Similarly, it would not be realistic if we also did not set aside specific times for reviewing e-mails, phone calls, and social media. Distractions will always remain. Yet, find your balance and you will stay focused on achieving your goal(s).
Delegate
While business owners sometimes wish to complete all items themselves, this is neither practical nor prudent. As a business grows, employees must be groomed to handle additional responsibilities. Likewise, talented individuals with perhaps different skill sets, should be hired to manage and ensure operational efficiency within the business. In doing so, the owner will be provided more time to work on achieving goal(s) that when successfully accomplished, will yield the most value for the business long-term. Conceivably in the early stages of a business, an owner might be able to micromanage. However, there comes a breakeven when micromanaging must be avoided to improve operational efficiency and optimize profitability. As a result, consistent mentoring and training are key to the long-term innovation, growth, and ultimate success of a business.
Time, Consistency, and Delegation
Time is certainly one of our most valuable assets. Yet, by remaining focused on our goal(s) that will yield the most value and massive positive impact on our lives, alongside staying consistent and delegating accordingly along the way, you can achieve anything for your business or yourself. Just don’t forget to take time to applaud yourself along your journey and be grateful for the outstanding progress you have made!
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