Have you ever completed your day only to ask, “what did I really accomplish today?” When I first got started in business, I had days where it felt like I was putting out fires and days where I felt like I got something accomplished. Quite frankly, there were times where I couldn’t absorb any more.
However, there was one question that was helpful in shifting how I could create capacity. The question is: “How can I create more capacity without working harder?” When I took a moment to reflect on this question, it opened up six ideas:
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Work With Your Human Wiring
Your human wiring is natural to who you are and explains why you do what you do. A person naturally hard wired to respond to urgent time pressures often responds to what comes across his or her desk immediately. It’s important to manage this natural impulse. While it can be a strength to respond to urgent time pressures, you may find yourself responding to every interruption often distracting you from what’s most important.
Responding immediately to emails or phone calls can be inefficient and unproductive not to mention stressful. Create focus by shutting off distracting email alarms or forward calls to voice mail while you’re completing a task. This simple technique yields more productive results because you have focused energy on the task at hand.
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Phone Tag Tip
Playing phone tag? In your next voicemail message, include two or more dates or times available on your calendar so that the person you’re trying to connect with knows your availability. The next time they call, you’ll be more likely to connect.
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Cluster Email Responses
Consider systematizing when you return emails selecting a time in the morning and evening to view your emails. Clustering your email responses creates focused time in responding.
Further, use email tools, like creating rules for certain emails that automatically forward non-urgent, non-client emails into a separate inbox.
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Calendarize Client Management Days
One exhausted entrepreneur tried to serve her clients by scheduling times that were good for her clients. Unfortunately, it was causing her to create inefficient breaks in her day until she designated client days. On those client days, she realized that she was more present with her clients.
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Manage Your Time
Time is the most valuable asset to busy business professionals. Understanding how to manage your time contributes to the success of your personal and professional goals. To help yourself with managing your time, ask yourself:
- What is most important that needs to be accomplished?
- What can I delegate, systematize, or automate?
- What clutter do I need to clear up?
- What other resources can provide leverage?
These simple questions can help you develop good time management practices and create space in your schedule.
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Identify Business Development Days
Consider adding a business development time to your calendar. Set up an appointment time and when the appointment shows up, execute whatever is on your list of business development activities, like calling that person you’ve been meaning to circle back with.
When you invest in these techniques and start systematizing your time, you will create space and continuous capacity for growing your business.
If you’re inspired to learn ways to create capacity in alignment with your human wiring, join us for the live workshop:
Wired to Win! Your Path to Passion, Purpose, and Profit on August 22-23, 2019.
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