Being a business owner comes with a lot of work and responsibility, so it's easy to feel like there aren't enough hours in the day. Nicola Moras explains her four-point plan for getting more done in less time
Business owners all have one thing in common: there is always so much to do and fi nite time to do it in. The famous quote “We all have the same number of hours in a day as Beyoncé” may be true, in that we all have 24-hour days; however, we don’t all have the luxury of the support that Beyoncé has. It’s what you do with the hours you have available that actually matters.
Some of the cracks begin to show when your to-do list starts spanning two, three, four, fi ve or more pages. But you’re not alone. That’s going to be overwhelming for anyone. Feeling overwhelmed leads to inaction and distractedness. Add to the mix the constant juggle of family time with trying to finish work on time or even early. Then add school runs, homeschooling (à la COVID) and the constant pressure to do more, be more and get more done.
Our smartphones have done wonders for us in many ways, but when it comes to productivity they often have the opposite effect
What’s worse is that we are more connected than ever, and there is a more common expectation that you’ll be available beyond 6pm, often stretching out to 8, 9 and even 10pm for some. Our smartphones have done wonders for us in many ways, but when it comes to productivity they often have the opposite effect. It can feel never-ending.
Over the past decade I have used a rock-solid process that never ceases to fail – for myself and for clients. In fact, the only time it fails is if it doesn’t get used. Read on to find out how to make it work for you, every single time. Get more done in less time while being efficient and effective.
1. Dream
It might seem strange that one of the keys to getting more done is to do less. Dreaming doesn’t have you sitting at the keyboard, tapping away incessantly, does it? Many business owners and entrepreneurs get caught up in the hustle – in the day-to-day push to tick more boxes, add more things to the list, and be seen by their peers as heroes because they got less sleep than them. “Hustle harder,” they cry! No. No. No. This is unhelpful! I’m all for the hustle, but only during a set number of hours and when it’s conducive to producing a sustainable result.
Smaller, bite-sized focal points make iteasier to implement an action plan because you only need to focus on getting those specific things done
Take some time to dream about where you want to be in the next 12 months. What does that look like for you and your business? What are the goals that you want to hit? Is the path you’re on right now leading you towards achieving that?
2. Plan
The tendency to launch straight into action is huge once you’ve had some time to dream. But it’s time to practise ‘Patience, young grasshopper’. First, you must plan. When you look at what you want to achieve over the next 12 months, it’s easy to become overwhelmed when you think about all the tasks that need to be done.
Start by breaking down your 12-month dream into a 90-day plan. What can you do over the next 90 days to get a quarter of the way towards your goal? What are the specific projects you need to work on to get there?
From there, it’s time to break that 90-day plan down into a 30-day action plan. What are you going to do specifically over the next 30 days? What key projects can you tackle or undertake over the next 30 days?
This becomes your 30-day focus plan. All you need to do now is break this down into four sections of focus for each seven-day block within the month. You now have a weekly action list that you can implement each day for the next five workdays. Easy-peasy!
Smaller, bite-sized focal points make it easier (and faster) for you to implement an action plan because you only need to focus on getting those specific things done.
You’ll repeat this every month in each quarter.
3. Accountability
This is the cornerstone of getting things done. Find someone who will be your accountability partner (or part of your accountability group). This could be a peer or a mentor. It’s crucial that you have someone you can report to who will kick your butt if you haven’t done what you said you were going to do!
4. Take massive action
When you put in place this strategy and focus on bringing each task to completion every day, you will triple your productivity and likely your results. The only way to create a result is to take steady and consistent action.
Follow these steps and I know you will achieve your goals sooner than you could ever have dreamt of, and feel a lot less overwhelmed.
Nicola Moras is an online visibility expert and author of Into the Spotlight, a guide to help you step up your online visibility, become a rock star in your industry and make your business thrive.
