Work Smarter not Harder

We all have the same 24-hour day. So why is it that some businesswomen seem to always have plenty of time whilst others have trouble finding enough hours in the day to achieve all their goals? The truth is that some businesswomen are highly skilled in managing their time and tasks in such a way that allows for optimal productivity.

These are some practical steps you can take to ensure that you are working smarter, not harder:

Do a Time Audit

Take a detailed look at how you spend your time. Examining how you spend your average workday will give you insight into which tasks are absolutely essential for you to do and what tasks you could delegate to staff which will allow you to make room for more productive work.

Prioritize Goals that Move Your Business Forward

As an entrepreneur your time is your most valuable and expensive commodity and you should prioritize goals that are going to give you the best return on that time. In business this will often mean outsourcing smaller tasks to your team and focusing on tasks that will make your business money.

Limit and Define Your Top Goals

Spreading yourself too thin by trying to achieve too many tasks at once can actually hinder your ability to achieve any of them. Narrowing down and clearly defining your major goals to a handful at a time will ensure that you have the energy and focus needed to efficiently complete each task.

Set Aside Uninterrupted Time for Demanding Projects

Certain tasks demand a high level of concentration. To maximize your productivity, you will need to set aside time slots for uninterrupted work and put smaller tasks on hold. Most people are more productive in the first two hours of their workday so set aside your mornings to tackle intensive projects.

Set Strict Agendas and Time Limits for Meetings

Meetings have a way of devouring your time. To avoid them taking over your day keep meetings to a minimum, define the amount of time you have for them and stick to a strict agenda of topics that need to be covered. However, no amount of organisation can completely buffer against issues that may pop up in meetings. I suggest making it standard practice to set a small amount of extra time aside after your meeting to tackle any issues that may arise. 

Get Organised

Without a high level of organisation, it becomes nearly impossible to achieve anything efficiently. Before you finish work for the day, I recommend taking the last 15 minutes and compose a list of your most important tasks for the next day. That way when you get into work in the morning with fresh eyes it will be easier to outline the top three or four urgent matters that need to be addressed first and work on those when you’re most productive.

To learn more about Entrepronora and how we can support you in achieving your entrepreneurial goals, contact us here.