When’s the last time you felt like you didn’t have “enough time” to get it all done? Was it yesterday? Today? This very moment?
Whenever it may have been, I hear you – and better yet, I got your back.
I’ve always been pretty organized about my time, but recently, I’ve really had to step it up – a lot. Gena and I have been traveling so much that time has become all the more precious. The funny thing is that the less time I feel like I have, the more I end up getting done. There’s something about having deadlines and boundaries that suddenly pushes you to work more efficiently, up your focus, and truly commit to getting you to-do list done.
With that in mind, here are my top 5 secrets to getting things done when you feel like time is really of the essence.
1. Set a timer. As always, simplicity and success go hand in hand. There’s something about feeling like you’re “racing against the clock” that’s going to push you to work more quickly and efficiently. Whatever it is you’re working on now that you want to accomplish, decide on how long you feel like it should take you, grab your iPhone (or anything with a timer), set the clock, and go. I know that the minute the clock starts ticking, I suddenly get into “go mode” and distractions no longer get in my way.
2. Choose a juicy incentive. There’s nothing like giving yourself something to look forward to to push you to take action fast. Are you stalling on writing a blog post? Have you been avoiding your email inbox like the plague? Give yourself something super exciting to look forward to once you check that task off your list. The juicier the incentive, the more quickly you’ll work to getting it done asap.
3. Make plans. You know how the day you leave for a trip, you suddenly – and seemingly magically – get all of this “stuff” done that has been on your to-do list forever? As with #1, there’s magic in having a deadline – self-imposed or otherwise. Leave less white space on your calendar and even though it may seem counterintuitive, you will get more done in the space that remains.
4. Share your commitment. When you let other people know that you’re committed to getting something done, it makes you all the more likely to actually do it. Just yesterday on Facebook, I spontaneously invited people to participate in a “Get It Done Hour” – people said what they were going to get done over the next hour and then I checked back in with them 60 minutes later. There’s power in having other people hold you accountable.
5. Don’t do it. Enter delegating and outsourcing – two of my most favorite words. Whether you enlist a friend, an assistant or a company to do something for you, handing tasks off to other people can be one of the most efficient and empowering ways to get more stuff done.
With the launch of The Organized Entrepreneur, and The Organized Entrepreneur Community, I’ve also decided to create The Ultimate Organized Entrepreneur, a program for the entrepreneur who is sick and tired of feeling overwhelmed by her schedule, her to-do lists, and never feeling like there is enough time in the day.
It comes with a 100% money-back guarantee that within 90 days, you’ll feel calm and in control of your time, and free from to-do list overwhelm. Being that I’m giving 110% to each person who signs up, I’m only accepting 10 people. Two spots have already been filled. You can find out more here: www.embarkability.com/uoe.