[Sunday supplement]: My 10 tips for being more productive

Published: Sun, 01/15/17

Hi

Today's Sunday supplement is a bit later than usual because we've got two webinars coming up this week and I wanted to get the scripts written and slides prepared. In fact, we all want to get more done so here are my top ten tips for being more productive and getting more done in your business.
  1. Plan your day the night before - take 5 or 10 minutes when you have finished for the day to plan what you will do the following day. Allocate time in your calendar for each task. You'll be amazed how much more relaxed you'll be knowing you have planned ahead.
  2. Use 80/20 - in a typical 8 hour day you will get 80% of your ideas, content written and marketing done in 90 minutes (20%) of your time. When will you do your 90 minutes? It should be when you are most energised. We are all different so for some it is first thing, for others in the afternoon. Whenever is your time block it off, no interruptions and get thinking how you can get more customers.
  3. Email - check your email first thing either before you leave for work (or your iPad or smartphone) or as soon as you arrive. I know most people say don't, this is a distraction, but I disagree. It will take you 5-10 minutes. Have a strategy. Mine is a) delete, b) answer if a one-liner or c) forward to your VA. Have your dictating machine handy for the note to send to your VA. Job done and you can relax. Now check after each task you have planned for the day is complete, while you stretch, have a cuppa or get some fresh air.
  4. Before you go to sleep relax, read a book (not about your work) or listen to some music and then as you are falling asleep let your mind come up with some creative ideas. It might be about how to get more customers, a new product or service, it doesn't matter. You may need to write them down to begin with but after a few nights you'll start to remember these ideas when you wake up.
  5. And on the subject of sleep get 7-8 hours. If you must drink alcohol do not do so after 6pm as it takes your liver 4-5 hours to get rid of moderate alcohol intake, which you want it to do before you go to sleep. Drink water last thing at night.
  6. Use the 'one touch rule' Sarah taught me. Only touch things once: emails, mail, papers, queries - whatever it is deal with it. Putting stuff down 'for later' wastes huge amounts of time. So use the 3Ds: Deal (with it), Delegate or Delete.
  7. To do list - yes I know you've heard this before but that is because it works. And yes it, not they, because you must have only one, preferably electronic so you can access it from several devices. It doesn't need to be complicated but it must contain everything that it is important that you must do (remember Covey's matrix) and nothing that you should or could do. Use it for your daily planner and once a week delegate or delete anything you haven't done - it wasn't that important.
  8. Use an Assistant, PA or VA - however long you work you won't get everything done. Sorry if that comes as a shock. So use an assistant to get stuff done that needs to be done - just not by you. (Here is one of the best ones you will find www.vi-va.co.uk). The same goes for your bookkeeping.
  9. Stop going to meetings: travelling to meetings is usually a waste of time as just as much can be achieved over the telephone or using the internet. If a customer insists on an actual meeting charge a premium to cover your extra time.
  10. Use all available technology: advances in technology have happened so quickly it is difficult to keep up, but investing in finding out what is available to save you time - from banks feeds directly into your accounting software to email marketing systems - will revolutionise the way you work and communicate, enable you to delegate more and get more done yourself.
Noel Guilford

Noel Guilford is the principal of Guilford Accounting a small business accountancy practice specialising in advising owner-managed businesses on current accounting, finance, and tax matters. You can reach him via email at noel@guilfordaccounting.co.uk or by phone at 01244 660866. He is the author of the best selling book 'Figure it out - an entrepreneurs guide to understanding your business numbers' which you can obtain by visiting http://guilfordaccounting.co.uk.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​