5 Ways To Accomplish More As An Entrepreneur
Image from Andrea Piacquadio
“I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”
That’s a Steve Jobs quote from 1995, and since this blog has been written on one of his Apple products, he must be right.
Entrepreneurs don’t often talk about how overwhelming entrepreneurship can be, especially with so much to do, and so many responsibilities.
It requires a lot of brainstorming, planning, research, execution, and determination to be a successful entrepreneur.
On repeat, of course. Luckily, the internet is filled with resources to help entrepreneurs and business owners achieve more.
RELATED: 7 BENEFITS FOR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES
In fact, 26% of entrepreneurs turn to the web to conduct market research and find tips, tools, and strategies to run their businesses.
To add to the information available to entrepreneurs, She’s A Given compiled five key ideas to help you get more done as a busy entrepreneur.
One solution right off the bat: Hire a virtual executive assistant.
More on how She’s A Given can help you below.
Time block for Maximum Productivity
Only 20% of people feel like they have work time management under control. Meaning, we’ve got work ahead of us here.
To-do lists that are miles long tend to feel overwhelming and actually decrease your productivity.
Start your day by making one list for that day specifically. List out your most high-priority projects and dedicate your first three hours (if possible) to focusing on those projects exclusively.
This will allow you to finish tasks that add value to your business goals while maintaining your focus.
SUMMARY: 3-HOUR FOCUS
After those three hours are up, you will feel a sense of achievement that increases your serotonin levels, further increasing productivity for the remainder of the day.
As for the other to-dos for your day, set realistic expectations for yourself. Instead of creating tasks that seem overwhelming like finding new business prospects, simplify and quantify: find five new business prospects.
If you are trying to create your website, simplify that to-do into something achievable within the block of time you’ve given yourself, like “create a homepage for the website.”
This will allow you to really focus on the projects that need your utmost attention without becoming overwhelmed and doing nothing at all.
SUMMARY: SIMPLIFY AND QUANTIFY
Strategy Over Opportunity
Entrepreneurs can’t commit to anything and everything. This is how you end up stretching yourself too thin.
Time, money, and attention are always in high demand and short supply when starting out.
Make sure you have a clear mission and focus for your business. Don’t follow up with every opportunity presented to you.
Spend your time and energy on the ones that align with your core values and will allow the best outcome for yourself and your business.
And, it may sound cheesy to some, but listen to your body. If you feel excited when an opportunity presents itself, go for it!
The same goes for the opposite feeling. It can be hard to trust that better things are coming, but if you move with your intuition, better opportunities are just about guaranteed.
SUMMARY: TRUST YOUR GUT
Set the Tone
Working in silence can be just as distracting as a room full of commotion. Next time you are trying to use your time wisely, instead of turning on a music playlist or podcast, find the right kind of “white noise” for you.
Use one track on repeat. For some She’s A Given pros, it’s the sound of the ocean waves crashing on the shore.
Playlists and podcasts can be great, but some work requires hyper-focus for increased productivity.
SUMMARY: TURN UP THE WHITE NOISE
Schedule Everything
There are many scheduling techniques, and each will look different for everyone. But the rule of thumb is to schedule everything.
From meetings and sales calls to a “maybe” networking event or webinar, a dinner with clients, or your workout classes.
Color coding helps with oversight. Starting your day with your high-value focus should be a time block on your calendar.
This will allow you to utilize this time for priority projects only. No scheduling on top of it.
The She’s A Given example
As meetings and business propositions present themselves, categorize them. If they are of high importance, choose a color to reflect that, like red.
As meetings come in that you’d like to attend, schedule them and color code them orange. As requests come in that you don’t feel you need to be in attendance but you’d like to know are taking place, add them to your schedule, but color code them a light color like yellow.
Any color system will work based on your preference, however, red is a color that grabs your attention (i.e. the important items on your calendar).
Don’t forget to schedule personal things too—maybe you get invited to a colleague’s birthday dinner or perhaps you have a family obligation/event.
Add those to your calendar colored differently than your work/business events. Plus, these blocks on your calendar can be kept private if you have a shared calendar.
The importance of adding these to your work calendar is to keep you accountable. Don’t forget the personal things in your life, especially since entrepreneurship can be time-consuming.
SUMMARY: SCHEDULE, SCHEDULE, SCHEDULE!
Say No and Delegate
Entrepreneurs usually become a “jack of all trades” while they get their businesses up and running. But, that doesn’t need to be the case forever. Learn your strengths and weaknesses.
Even if you are someone who can do it all, there will be things that you are naturally good at and other things you adapted to doing because you felt like you had no other choice.
Are the tasks that you’ve adapted to that are time-consuming or your least favorites? Delegate.
Allow yourself to fully shine in the areas that you enjoy. Allow yourself to focus on the projects that will yield the most progress and growth.
Don’t cut things out or limit yourself on potential because of the fear of failure. You can utilize someone else’s skill set to be successful in multiple ways.
The best people to delegate to? Virtual executive assistants.
You can hire them for projects specifically or as a full-time team member. The She’s A Given virtual assistants are fully-vetted and college-educated professionals ready to tackle the tasks you need to get done.
We know owning a business is challenging, if you’re ready to focus on more of the things you love, schedule a call with us today.
Accomplishing great things in your life and your business doesn’t come easy and takes quite a lot of work.
But it’s worth it. And if you can implement these five ideas into your daily operations, you’ll find a lot more success.
SUMMARY: VIRTUAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS FOR THE WIN
Bonus: Focus on Work-life balance
Work-life balance is key. Once you accomplish more, you’ll feel better. All the above steps will help you achieve a better work-life balance.
But you should also make it a personal goal and include it in the priority tasks. Whatever that means for you.
You might want to schedule more quality time with a loved one or book a spa appointment just for yourself. Feeling good about yourself and those around you will automatically make you more productive.
It’s a win-win.
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Good goals for entrepreneurs include setting clear financial targets, creating a customer base, and finding ways to expand their business. Additionally, entrepreneurs should focus on forming strategic partnerships, building their brand, and staying organized.
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Becoming a hardworking entrepreneur requires dedication, consistency, and a willingness to learn. Start by setting realistic goals and breaking them down into achievable tasks. Additionally, be sure to monitor your progress, stay organized, and develop a strong work ethic. With a bit of hard work and dedication, you can become a successful entrepreneur.