Are there days when you want to stay in bed? Head to the mountains skiing? Renew your CV and start the job hunt? Fire that draining client? We’ve all been there at times, feeling more exhausted than exhilarated. It’s a classic sign of burnout. So what’s the secret to staying enthusiastic and passionate about work? Reflect on this timeless principle: Less is More. When your time is used strategically, you get more business results and you achieve more balance & happiness. Here are seven strategies to measure and record your performance to get the business results you want and help your team stay on track.
- Identify your goals for the week
- Identify the daily activity needed to achieve the goals
- What notes, projects or reminders do you have from the week before that need to be accomplished?
- Prioritize activities as A/B/C (A-critical to business/B-important-secondary/C-delegate or delete.
- Keep a time log to evaluate your time wasters (often activity or people) When I do this for five days in a row – I realize how much time I’m wasting – there is no law that requires you to answer every email or return every phone call or say YES to every committee or volunteer opportunity. Ask yourself, “Is this in alignment with my focus/gifts/interests/business & personal goals? If the answer is “Yes”, Roll on, if the answer is “No” Roll out!
- Use block scheduling (Dentists have done this for years – they perform longer cases in the morning for more focus and because they are time intensive, afternoons are reserved for the minor procedures) Monthly reports, meetings, events, sales activity, business development, presentations – use a color code to measure and record your activity. I use Carolina Blue for business, yellow for personal/volunteer, green for kids activities, RED for business deadlines, Orange for husband (so I can remind him of his schedule – love you honey!) At the end of the week if there is too much yellow, not enough blue – my business will suffer. Too much blue and not enough yellow/green – family suffers. There will be weeks life is out of balance, the key is to not linger there too long.
- Zig Ziglar identifies these 8 key areas for balance: Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Recreational, Family, Career, Social, Financial (You can’t work on everything at once….Less is More – pick one or 2 focus areas to work on each month)
Everyone has 24 hours in a day. What you choose to do with it is up to you!
