Like Nobody's Business

Tasks you hate: One of my least favorite things to do in the universe is answering my voicemail. Comes  from my heady days as head of a benefits team for over 5,000 active and retired employees and their families. I remember wishing then that there was someone who could review my voicemails, answer those that they could and give me a summary of the rest. In my business, I went out and found that person -- a whiz that helps me stay focused on those tasks that make my business money. My virtual assistant isn't someone on my payroll: She's an independent business owner I contract for as much or as little service as I need. 

Delegate. Many tasks, while things we can do well, just aren't the things we should be focused on if we're going to build our businesses and have our lives work.

Low cost help: College students, mothers with available time while the kids are in school, retirees looking for a little extra cash are, many times, highly skilled people looking from flexibility. Create lists of routine tasks (filing, data entry, etc.) and a schedule that works for them and turn them loose. You may be able to arrange college credit for interns seeking experience to help their résumé's shine.

Create the routine you had when you worked in an office. Get up at the same time and get out into morning traffic (yes, I said traffic). Go have that morning cup of java (or cuppa tea) out. Take your planner and map out your day. Make top-of-the-day calls and draft your emails where you're less likely to be interrupted. Just that one hour at the top of your day can shave hours off your week. If you got into the work flow after spending time "at the water cooler," create that -- find others who work from SOHO's (small office/home office) and set up a morning conference call while you have our morning snack. Those conversations generated lots of energy while you were working from someone else's office and they can serve the same purpose here. Be mindful of the time you spend on this -- it can become a great distraction, if you're not careful.

To do lists: Most "to do" lists end up "didn't do lists." One key reason is that we tend not to schedule in exactly when we're going to tackle those tasks. If your list has 5 calls you need to make, schedule it in your planner for, say, 9:00-10:00 am. Remember: writing it down on a list isn't the same as structuring it in so it gets done.

If you're going to "multi-task," put like things together. Set one time, for example, to make calls and answer emails; one time to do errands, like that trip to the bank, post office and printer; check bank balances and pay bills and write invoices. Cluster tasks around commonly-needed resources or  themes

Don’t schedule back-to-back meetings -- unless, of course, you’ve got a worm hole in your pocket or red sequins on your shoes. Schedule in ½ hour or so of travel time both before and after your meeting to accommodate transit time.

Concentrate your time. One therapist routinely had client meetings scattered throughout the day and into the evening with, sometimes, 1-2 hours between sessions. By only concentrating on filling her earlier appointments and only offering the evening times on one day of the week as overflow she had less “down-time” and got more done, including getting home earlier to be with her family.

Create office hours.

Figure out when you work best as well as when your customers want to see you. Deal with any obvious divergences.

Plan for interruptions. Family, co-workers, neighbors, and pets can rob your of productivity. Know that they may have down time and assume you do, too, or may not understand that working from home is still working.

Stop interruptions. Let Tom down the street know that you can't walk their dog just because you're home or tell your family when you'll be available to them. Make friends with "no."

Take a break. It will help you perk up your thinking. If you find yourself spinning your wheels, stop. Go do something very different for about 15 minutes. A brisk walk, particularly, can speed up your metabolism, release needed energy and clear your thinking. Just remember to come back.

Stop taking lengthy breaks

Get started when you want to every day.

Quit: We get into lots of trouble when we don't know when to call it a day. We work long past the point of being productive and begin taking longer and longer to get anything done.

Automate common tasks using office productivity software. You can shave off time, for example, by setting up your computer to fax documents instead of printing them first.

Carry postcards and stamps. When you finish a meeting, instead of adding a “thanks for meeting me” note to your To Do list (or your “gee, it would be nice if I could get this done” list), take 2 minutes and write your brief note right then. Drop the stamped note off on your way back to the office.

Plan for your long-term success.

Make snap decisions on small matters. We spend more time in the problems, details and drama of the day to day than in the vision and planning for our success.

Plan for emergencies.

Oh, and stop having emergencies.