One of the biggest barriers entrepreneurs face is productivity and keeping on top of things. When you work for yourself, you have no one to report too and you are your own boss. While this is amazing for the most part, it also has its challenges, with productivity being a major one. I want to eradicate unproductiveness and in this simple guide I give you the tools to get stuff done as an entrepreneur.
The Importance of Managing Productivity
Let’s first discuss the importance of productivity and getting stuff done as an entrepreneur. We can make a parallel with a traditional office job. As an office employee, you probably have a manager and are part of a team. That manager might give you jobs to do and provide deadlines for when stuff needs to get done.
As an entrepreneur, you have none of that. You are working on your own and don’t have that same structured working environment. As a result, it’s up to you to get stuff done, set deadlines, and decide how to manage your time. If you don’t do this effectively, you won’t succeed and can quickly fall behind in developing your business.
8 Simple Ways to Get Stuff Done as an Entrepreneur
1. Create a daily task list
How can you hope to get stuff done if you don’t know what you need to get done? This is pretty basic but it’s surprising how many entrepreneurs don’t create task lists. I have a daily task list that I update on Trello – it keeps me focused, makes sure I use my time effectively, and also sets deadlines.
You can be as detailed or vague as you want with your task list but the key is to maintain it and give yourself at least a rough outline of what you want to achieve each day.
If you prefer to write things down the old school way then invest in something like an A3 desk pad with a to-do list section, this can be physically sat on your desk reminding you of your tasks,
2. Set defined working hours
I work from home without regulated work hours but despite this I still set myself a clear working schedule. For example, each day I am working, I work in the morning between 9am to 12pm, and in the afternoon from 14:00-17:00.
This gives me focus and it provides a clear timeframe in which I need to get stuff done. Without this structure or self-imposed working hours, you can waste time and not make the most of each day.
3. Allow for breaks
By law as per the UK GOV[1], employees over the age of 18 are entitled to an uninterrupted rest break of at least 20 minutes if they work over 6 hours per day. As an entrepreneur, you don’t have the same right as you are probably self-employed, but it’s incredibly important that you take regular breaks.
The HSE recommends[2] you take regular short breaks, especially if you are working on a computer and I always try to live by this and simply get up, walk away from my desk, and have a short 5–10-minute break every few hours.
4. Remove distractions from your workplace
When working from home or self-employed as an entrepreneur it’s SO easy to get distracted. The list is endless – petting your cat, watching TV, scrolling through social media, watching a YouTube video, texting your partner. It never ends!
However, to get stuff done as an entrepreneur, you have to learn to minimize these distractions. Have a dedicated office space where you can shut yourself off – I find this helps minimize distractions as when I enter my office, I know this is when I need to get into my working mindset!
The other distractions such as playing with pets, watching TV, and scrolling on your phone take discipline – you just have to train yourself and exercise a little self-restraint.
5. Stay healthy and active
A healthy mind is a productive mind! I try and live by this a mantra. It’s tempting to just vegetate in front of the TV at lunchtime and in the evenings, but this can promote unhealthy habits and make you lazy.
Instead, why not use your time wisely and do a little exercise or keep your brain active? I go for a 30-40 minute walk every lunchtime where possible – it get’s me out of my office, gives me some fresh air, and allows me to clear my mind.
Not one for exercising? The why not set some time aside to do some journalling to help improve your mental wellbeing.
6. Make use of technology to make your work easier
Modern entrepreneurs have the benefit of having a near-exhaustible array of tools and software available to help productivity with some top examples including:
- Microsoft Teams
- Trello
- Slack
- One Note
Make use of whatever tools you can do make your work easier! For example, Slack is great for team management and communication, while Microsoft One Note allows for detailed notetaking and the creation of task lists.
7. Set small, realistic goals
While a daily task list is amazing for productivity, setting yourself small goals also helps. These could be arbitrary or directly related to the work you have for the day. For example, you might set the goal of replying to all your emails by 10am or publishing a new blog article before lunchtime. Goals like these help you remain disciplined and continually working towards the next thing.
8. Hold yourself accountable at all times
The worst thing you can do as an entrepreneur is shift the blame or try to push accountability on others. If you’ve made a mistake, own it. You won’t grow as a person if you are never accountable for your actions.
By holding yourself accountable, you can also learn from your mistakes which will ultimately help your productivity in the long term.
Become the Ultimate Entrepreneur and Remain Productive
The rewards of being a self-made entrepreneur are incredible and you can get some of the best job satisfaction available. However, it’s not an easy ride and to get there you have to remain productive and know how to get stuff done. Hopefully, the tips I have provided will help you do this and push you forward to realize your full potential.
[1] – UK GOV – Rest Breaks at Work
[2] – HSE – Working Safely With Display Screen Equipment