Leaders and business owners are both blessed and cursed. On one hand, they have more control of when, and what kind of work they do, and what they pass on to others. On the other hand, most leaders and business owners tend to end up working long hours and have higher stress due to the demands of their work.
Fortunately, there are some simple ways for you to start to do less while accomplishing more which will in turn can lead to better health, wellbeing, productivity, client outcomes and a happier life.
1. Use the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 Rule: If you want to get more done in less time, then you need to create your daily work schedule around the Pareto Principle which means that roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of your input, so you need to aim to complete the top 20% of your most critical tasks (or the highest priority items on your to do list) each day. This model helps you focus on what is really important and critical to your job or business and ensures you don’t get distracted by the menial and unimportant tasks each day.
2. Disconnect: If you want to keep up your energy levels and your mind fresh, then you need to take a break from your work frequently. Don’t continue to work under the assumption that you have to work harder to accomplish your goals. Taking frequent breaks throughout the day and disconnecting from your email and phone calls, and stepping away on the weekends, will allow your brain to refresh, your body to recover and for you to produce better results.
3. Be Willing to Say No: Those who are highly successful have to contend with a lot of demands on their time. They are also the people that say no more frequently! To do this you need to get clear on what you want to achieve and be willing to say no to other projects along the way. If you don’t start saying no, you’ll quickly find yourself overwhelmed and on even burnt out.
4. Have a Plan: While most leaders have a long-term plan on how they’re going to reach their team or business goals, they can fail to plan and prioritise their days. When you are scattered throughout the day, you can’t maximise your time, your teams time and your productivity. If you want to get more done, then you need to set some time aside every afternoon/evening to plan out and prioritise the tasks you need to accomplish the next day that will move you forward toward achieving your goals. Doing this, will mean that you go to bed with a plan and wake up with a purpose!
5. Outsource Where You Can: This doesn’t just apply to work tasks that someone else would be better suited to complete. Think about all those menial but necessary jobs that you have and determine if you can outsource them to another team, contractor or business. Don’t be afraid to refer a lead to a trusted competitor if you’re too busy to take on new work or the lead doesn’t quite match your skills or interests. This is a good way to build positive working relationships with your competitors who may also be able to refer work to you as well as give the prospective client a good customer experience, which will hold you in good stead for future work.
Takeaway
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your current work schedule or work / life balance, consider changing your habits to include the above. Having a laser focus on the vital tasks that are critical to your role, or business and leveraging your resources to help you get the best results for yourself, your business and your clients the best way to actually achieve success in whatever you do.
Need Some Help?
Need some help for yourself or your team with time management, delegation, prioritising and leading a productive team, book a FREE 15 minute coaching connection call to discuss further here: https://www.revolutionconsultinggroup.com.au/book-a-discovery-call/15-minute-coaching-connection-call
