Too Busy Being Busy

“The only thing even and equal in this world is the number of hours in a day. The difference in winning or losing is what you do with those hours.”Woody Hayes, Football Coach

Have you ever been so busy, being busy that you never got anything done? Come on, be honest, we all have. As a Professional Business Coach, the number one issue that I continually help business owners and executives alike with is time management issues, and it is a big issue and much too complex to tackle here. But here are a few tips that can get you started on the right track.

1. Understand that It’s very easy to slip into the mode of high activity with low productivity. That is simply staying very busy but not accomplishing anything of value.
2. Remember the Law of Forced Efficiency which says; There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing.
3. Work when you “WORK”! When you go to work, work. Do not let all the distractions of the work place deter you from accomplishment. It always seems that the people that actually “work” are the ones getting the promotions; setting examples; running companies and making the most money. Many of us go to work then talk to friends; talk in the coffee room; go to lunch; talk with co-workers and shuffle paperwork. A Columbia University study shocked the sales world when it exposed the fact that on the average a salesperson spends less that 90 minutes a day working, in front of a customer. Internal meetings don’t count; Driving doesn’t count; only that time when you’re face-to-face with a customer or prospect counts. So manage your time, double your time in front of a prospect; double your income.
4. So, take time to sit down and plan your next day, every night before you go to bed. You should do this for two reasons:
   1. For every one minute spent in planning you will save 10 minutes in return. That equals 1000% return on energy
   2. Studies show that the super-conscious mind will take your prioritized plan and think about it all night long preparing you for the new day. Instead of awaking to concerns about everything that you have to do and fears of not remembering certain tasks.
5. Prioritize all that you do. List all that you need to do, everything, then prioritize with this simple method. A = Something that you must do. If you don’t there are serious consequences. This is a task that dramatically moves you toward your goals. B= Anything that drives you away from your goals and moving you and your business forward. C= Totally and completely unnecessary for you to do right now if ever and finally D= Delegate….it’s absolutely something that you have someone else do and you forget about it.
6. Constantly ask yourself the foundational time management question. Program yourself to Ask yourself all day long the one primary foundational question. “Is what I’m doing right now, the number one thing that I could be doing to move my goals and my business forward?” Another way of saying asking this question is, “Is this the most important thing I could or should be doing right now to move my business forward.”…and if it isn’t…..STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT, immediately!

And you know what, sometimes it’s that simple. It’s all about discipline and this simple discipline could mean the difference between a so-so life and a life of wealth and success.

Good Luck