Most of us think that being busy is good because you get more work done. Well, not really. More isn’t necessarily better. The key to productivity is doing less. Busyness leads to overload. When your mind is preoccupied with tons of stuff, no longer can you be creative and able to plan well.
Here are eight tips on how to get more out of your solopreneur business without burning yourself in the process. Starting today, aim to do less.
1. Say no and save time.
A very useful time management technique that only a few take advantage of is saying no. Make saying no your weapon each time there is a demand or request that will distract you from your goals. Don’t commit immediately. You can say, “I’ll get back to you” to think through the request.
Related: Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time: The Secret to Productivity
2. Leverage your strengths.
You should be doing the tasks you’re skilled at, or focusing on the topics you know well. Use your strengths to take your solopreneur business to greater heights in a short span of time. By using your strengths, you can come up with tons of creative ideas. What about your weaknesses? Check tip #3.
3. Be the BOSS.
Working on everything yourself isn’t the key to performance. It’s a surefire way to burn yourself out. Think of yourself as a lemon. The more you work, the more you squeeze yourself. You’ll lose the juice to focus on things that really matter. Learn to outsource.
Related: 9 Things You Can Outsource When Running an Online Business
4. Restrict certain apps on your phone.
In most instances, business owners randomly check emails and scroll through Facebook Newsfeed. The danger in doing this is that you are multi-tasking, and your brain cannot handle many tasks at once. Set limits for your mobile apps (email, social media, etc.). If you use an iPhone and have updated to iOS 12, take advantage of Screen Time.
5. Identify what you can automate.
Save time doing repetitive tasks by automating them. Identify areas in business that will benefit from automation. Examples of these tasks include sending out emails to new subscribers, capturing new business leads, responding to customers on social media, or sending meeting reminders to your team.
6. Work during hours of peak productivity.
If you feel tired and bored at 3:00 PM, don’t panic. It’s just you being human. Identify your peak productivity hours and work during these times. To know your peak productivity hours, observe and write down how you feel at specific times of the day. Use those times when you feel sluggish for coffee breaks, exercising, or planning.
7. Adopt a positive attitude.
A positive attitude makes you more productive. Even on stressful days, you can respond with a positive attitude instead of brooding over problems. Treat setbacks as opportunities to learn and leverage your strengths. The more positive you are, the more energy you have to get things done.
8. Get enough sleep!
If you’re not getting enough hours of sleep, then you know what’s causing those missed deadlines. Sleep is crucial for productivity. Sleep gives you the energy to focus, solve problems, and make well thought out decisions that take less time. Try to keep your sleeping routine regular. When it’s time to go to bed, keep your room dark.
In order to succeed, start doing less. Follow the tips above so you can save time while working smarter. Let me know if any of these strategies worked for you.
