I know your days are busy.
But I also know this – there are different types of “busy.”
There’s good busy, where you have appointments booked back-to-back all throughout your day.
And then there’s bad busy, where you’re running around doing errands, stuck in traffic, doing paperwork… and likely falling behind on the truly “important” aspects of running your business.
So today, I want to help. This #TomFerryShow is all about making sure you’re maximizing efficiency with your time.
Here are six hacks to get more done in less time, in no particular order…
Time Management Hack No. 1: Know Your Desired Outcome
This one applies to anything and everything you do throughout your day. From picking up the phone to meeting with prospects to solitary time spent working “on” your business, you need to know exactly what you’re trying to achieve at all times.
“What is my outcome?”
That’s the question you should be asking yourself dozens of times every day. When you know what you’re trying to accomplish, you’ll perform that task with greater focus, speed and effectiveness.
On the other hand, if you haven’t defined what you’re trying to achieve, a project can easily get away from you and dominate your day.
Before everything you do, make sure to take a moment to create the specific, measurable outcome you desire.
Do you do this already or do you need to incorporate it into your process?
Time Management Hack No. 2: Create Your Best Day Ever
If you’re familiar with me at all, you’ve likely heard me say this at one time or another:
“If it’s not in your schedule, it doesn’t exist.”
So… why do I repeat this mantra over and over and over?
Because if things aren’t built into your schedule, they won’t get done. You’ll be far less effective if you wander aimlessly from one task to the next rather than following a strict schedule.
Think of a busy day on your schedule… Each of those little blocks of time are like mini deadlines that push you to get stuff done before the next block begins. If you’re not working from that type of mindset, you’re not going to get nearly as much done.
Taking this idea broader, it’s typically around September or October when I map out the entire next year on my calendar. You should always start with your personal priorities first (family vacations, etc.) and then slot your work time into what’s left, focusing mostly on your HBUTs (Highest and Best Use of Time).
Which brings us to…