Attending meetings, applying for quick business loans and funding, planning monthly budgets, and monitoring sales – these are just some of the tasks entrepreneurs do on the daily. With a lot on your plate, you can’t help but wonder how successful business people manage to cross out everything on their to-do list. Fortunately, we’ve listed down three effective tips on how to manage your time better.
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Start Your Day Early
For many of us, waking up early can be one of the most dreaded parts of going to work. But for some of the most successful people in the country, starting their day early is the key to success. In fact, Apple CEO, Tim Cook; Bill McNabb, Chairman of the Vanguard Group, and L. Rafael Reif, President of M. I. T. all start their day before sunrise.
They discovered that waking up before the crack of dawn promotes productivity. Numerous studies have supported this claim and millions of entrepreneurs in the world have attributed their success to this habit.
But if you’re not used to waking up early, changing your habits may initially be challenging. Your mind and body need to adjust to kick-start this habit. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Take your time and listen to your body and in no time, you’ll be able to focus more on critical tasks and manage your time wisely.
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Try Ivy Lee’s Method of Productivity Hacking
Have you ever heard of the Ivy Lee method? The president of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Charles M Schwab, hired a productivity consultant in 1918 named Ivy Lee who devised the famous “Ivy Lee Method”. This method worked so well that Schwab was willing to pay $25,000 three months after assessing the results of his work – that’s worth $400,000 today!
If the Ivy Lee Method worked for the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, there’s no reason why it wouldn’t work for you. Here’s how:
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- Before you finish a workday, find time to write six things you need to do the next day.
- Arrange those six things in their priority order, number one being the most important.
- The next day, make sure to start that day with the first task and complete it before starting the next.
- After you’ve finished all six tasks, write another to-do list at the end of the day.
The Ivy Method sounds so simple, but it definitely works.
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Implement the Two-Minute Rule
Procrastination is one of the most common causes of time wastage. Some entrepreneurs delay or postpone tasks because they lack focus or they think they still have plenty of time, while others just don’t want to start at all. The 2-Minute Rule is a popular approach to overcoming procrastination and laziness in the workplace.
As the name suggests, you start devoting two minutes the tasks you’re delaying. For example, if you need to write an article, write your first two to three sentences within two minutes. This method is not about finishing a task under two minutes; it’s more on the process of starting a task. Don’t waste your time thinking about taking action – start now!
Use Quick Business Loans and Funding for a More Productive Company
Lack of productivity can cripple your business, but so does insufficient working capital. Fast business loans can help inject cash flow where you need it the most.
