5 Ways to Get More Productive

How many hours do you spend working in your business each day?

How many hours are actually spent being productive?

Do you use a productivity program? Trello, Asana

We will go over:

1. Productivity versus being busy

2. 5 things to start doing to get more productive TODAY

3. A BONUS tip

Busy: Having a lot to do is not the answer!

Reason 1: Being busy is easy. It feels good to have lots to do. Busy does not care about effectiveness or quality.

Reason 2: There are no priorities in “busy”. Haphazardly “doing” does not lead to anywhere.

Reason 3: Hustle is not a great word for business. Holds many negative connotations. We should plan our work in order to avoid burn out.

Reason 4: No direction. Getting a lot done, but in no particular direction.

Productivity: The quality and effectiveness to produce something

Qualities of Productivity

Time Management: Use the time to produce best results.

“Do the things that will bring you in the hundred dollar bills” – Andrea Layne

Use your time for the tasks that are best for you and your client.

Value/Quality: Getting the most value out of the work you are doing. Giving yourself a short amount of time to do something work better than doing something all day.

Focus: Pay attention to the one thing you are doing then, do it well. Multitasking is not really real. It can be harmful. Having too many tabs open in your brain.

Forward Progress/Strategic: It took Andrea 2 years to feel like she was moving forward.

Doing things that will help you actually achieve your goals. Knowing where you want to go & what you want to be known for, and picking the things to do to move you in that direction.

“If you don’t have time, you don’t have priorities.”

— Tim Ferris, The 4 Hour Work Week

In reality, you do have time, you are just choosing to do other things.

5 Ways to Get Productive

Know Your Time

GOAL: Get real about how much time you actually have to give towards your business
TASK: Take 30 minutes to

1.     Create a list of everything you regularly do

2.     Assign the amount of time you need to do each thing

3.     Assign the frequency of the activity daily, weekly

4.     Lay it out against a week so you can see it visually

OUTCOME: how much time you have each day for your business

Get a Scheduler

GOAL: Systematize your scheduling
TASK:

1.     Select a scheduling tool: Acuity or Calendly are two suggestions

2.     Setup your weekly availability

3.     Connect your Google calendar

4.     Create appointment types (with time padding before and after)

5.     Add an email to your processes that require a meeting

Set Priorities

GOAL: Do the work that matters
TASK:

1.     Review your goals once a week

2.     Set 3 priorities for each day

3.     Assign tasks for each priority to a time block

OUTCOME: Real progress each day that is action based

Reduce the Noise

GOAL: Get rid of the distractions
TASK:

1.     Set aside time each day for busy tasks – email, social media

2.     Turn off/shut down all other apps when working on a priority

3.     Work in a clean environment

4.     Give yourself a short break between tasks to regroup

OUTCOME: real work is done and you are focused 

Workflows

GOAL: Get consistent in the way you work

TASK:

1.     Pick a workflow – for example proposals, client onboarding

2.     Create step by step lists of everything involved with moving towards this priority

Asana is a powerful project management tool. You can create workflows for everything you do for your business.

 BONUS TIP: Inbox Zero

Less time in your inbox

TASK:

1.     NEVER sign up for non-business related deals with your business email. Unsubscribe if you have.

2.     Set up a project management tool, like Asana or Trello AND a client management tool you can get out of you email inbox more often.

3.     Create filters in gmail/g-suite with color codes to tag emails for projects, training, newsletters

4.     Move emails out of your inbox when you’ve touched it.

 OUTCOME: a less cluttered inbox

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