If you’re an entrepreneurial type you’re probably not a “sit-on-your-hands” kind of person. You’re busy doing stuff. But as I’ve written before, there’s a big difference between being busy and being productive. It’s important to be busy doing the right thing. It’s also important to focus your attention on the task at hand so that you do it right and get the results you want. Let’s take a quick look at how the power of focus can transform your company.
As a business leader, you are the one who decides what really needs to be done. You set the priorities. You determine how long things should take to get done. Even if you’re not doing the tasks yourself (or even directly overseeing the activities), you’re the one responsible for making sure things get done right and in a timely manner.
- Set Your Priorities: What are the most important things to tackle first? Not all tasks are created equal. Focus on one thing that will have a significant impact on reaching your strategic goals. When setting your priorities you’ll want to make sure the tasks you focus on are in line with your vision and the strategy that comes from that vision.
- Do One Thing at a Time: In business, we’ve elevated the idea of “multi-tasking” to an unrealistic level of importance. That can leave us “a mile wide and an inch deep” when it comes to accomplishing our goals. Take a little test right now. How many tabs do you have open on your browser? How many “half-done” tasks (memos, proposals, spreadsheets) are on your desktop? Pick the most important (see above) and work on it until it’s done.
- Give Yourself a Deadline: Open-ended tasks have a tendency to drag on. Set a reasonable deadline and hold yourself to it. You might even want to make yourself accountable to your management team. And you might be surprised at how your new behavior rubs off on them.
- Block Out Specific Time: One key to accomplishing your tasks on time is to make sure you’ve set aside the time to actually do it. Put it on your calendar. Don’t accept meetings or other interruptions during that time. If what you’re working on is important (again, look at your priorities) you’ll have to say no to other things—at least for a while.
- Make It a Habit: Don’t make this a one-time deal. Make it something repeatable. Whether you set your calendar daily, weekly, or monthly, make sure you identify the important tasks each time and set aside the time to do them.
After you’ve done this for a while, you’ll discover that not only are you getting important things done but that you’re doing them better—more thoroughly. You’ll be more productive—and that’s key if you want to scale up your business.
Need help growing your business? With over 35 years of experience and thousands of companies assisted, Chuck Kocher and The Transformation Company can help you scale your business into a truly exceptional business capable of high growth strategies. Businesses are always changing, don’t let yours be left behind. Stand out with our business and executive leadership programs – designed to challenge and improve your business. Your business will thank you for it. Contact me today for a free consultation! 719-339-9505