Look at systematizing when possible

When we review where we can add systems that become habits, we experience more balance in our business and personal life. We thrive even in the midst of occasional chaos. When systems are in place, the goals will take care of themselves.

Look at your current routine and see where automation can help. For example, do you spend time shopping for specialty items in an out-of-the-area location? Check out a delivery service like Amazon to save you time.

Do you spend your time kvetching about not having time to get the car washed? Hire a weekend guy to take care of it for you. Anything where you can replace your time worth X for a service that is affordable allows you to use your time and energy more effectively and profitably.

Are there excuses? Oh yeah! Here are three top excuses and two key proven systems that will help you create the right habits to maximize your work time, keep your pipeline full, and your time dollar productive:

1. I don’t have time to (exercise, read, relax, take care of myself, yadda yadda yadda…)

Start tracking your time using a Daily Success Habits Tracker. This form is designed to help you “see” where your time is spent in a day and track your consistency towards eliminating bad habits and replacing them with more productive ones. Most people have jam-packed schedules, but when tracked it is clear that their actions are “busy” but not productive. You may discover that you spend 30-45 minutes a day (or more) on social media, when we could have spent that time calling on a past client, giving yourself some time for self-care, walking with a friend, or reading a book. Television is another time hog—what could you get accomplished in that time instead?
When it comes down to productive time spent, this form keeps you focused on the key components to generate high and consistent income. Staying accountable is the first step in creating new and more productive habits.

2. If I want it done right, I have to do it myself

Many people avoid delegating tasks like the plague, and the excuses for not delegating are endless. But learning to delegate is a powerful tool to help you carve out more time for yourself each day. Delegation can help you with those activities you put off because they aren’t that critical, but in procrastinating on those tasks, you find it loads up your “bug me” list. This can be easily fixed by spending time in advance of your upcoming week to actually plan your week. The “My Productive/Perfect Week Planner” is a fantastic tool to help you “map” out your upcoming week. You can block out the time slots for high ROI for time and life. The first step is to block time for personal and family time. Think Stop Light: Red is STOP, or in this case a non-negotiable time block. Family and/or personal time is sleeping, quiet time, exercise time, working in your business time, date night, game night with the kids, church time, personal care blocks for those ever necessary mani-pedi and massage appointments. Do it and always put you and your family needs and wants FIRST! Consider this segment sacred so you—and the universe—will allow all to plan around it.

Here’s another example for blocking dollar productive and money-making time:

Add appointments that are potential money makers in GREEN on your calendar. Block the times you are generating revenue, or are potential money makers, like working with clients and follow up appointments.

The balance of the remaining time is divided up and color coded in YELLOW, which is blocked for prospecting activities like connecting with past clients, planning client appreciation events, following up on leads on a weekly/bi-weekly basis, more. Once you’ve blocked your time, it is easier to stick to the schedule or easily change the schedule to accommodate your clients and not drop the ball on those activities that pay. The success is in the “habit” of making sure you perform the basic activities that yield profitability.

3. I can’t afford to get help

Really? Sit down and figure out how much your time is worth per hour, and then line that up against what it would cost to outsource the service. If you wouldn’t pay someone $100 an hour to do a task, then you shouldn’t be doing it! Are you spending your day doing $15 an hour tasks that someone else can handle easier and faster than you can? You help others and help yourself as well. Start small and see how it works. Paying for a service you can do yourself frees up time, energy and allows you to focus on areas that bring you more joy and income.

Taking time to clearly decide how you want to spend your time each week is the first step to building a life by design. Focus on the priorities in your life, delegate the tasks that bog you done, and hire an assistant or other help will help you live a live with a lot less stress and more profitability.

For a free copy of the Daily Success Habits tracker and the My Perfect Week planner, visit my website.