It never fails, when one important project is at hand, several more appear at the same time. The problem becomes how to keep your promise of finishing all of it in a timely manner. Soon the question becomes a quandary because there just doesn’t appear to be enough hours in the day.
– Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs
Focus
Create a document to have at your fingertips of what needs to be completed, in a prioritized list. Under each named project, list the components to be included so there will be no forgetting. Eliminating forgetfulness and the need to re-do eliminates extra time required.
Baby-steps
Stress will add hours by eating up the ability to focus. Reduce your stress by breaking each project up into manageable steps. For instance, if you were in need of proofreading a manuscript, decide how many pages or chapters you will be able to review effectively on a daily basis, or divide the number of chapters by the allotted days. Use a similar procedure for those projects of the highest importance to you.
Interruptions
Should peers request help with a project during your busiest time, politely explain your schedule. Let them know it is important to you to provide the best support you may, and for that reason, you will give every effort to their project after your deadline. It would be difficult to argue with this position. A cautionary step would be to note the promise on your calendar so that you may live up to it. Keeping promises is essential for retaining a strong personal brand and building business.
New Ideas
It seems the busier we are, we see an increase in the flow of new ideas. Record these so they too will be remembered after you complete the other projects. Meanwhile, you will have time to contemplate the better ideas and come to an understanding of how to proceed when time is your own again.
Keep Moving
It only takes once to wait for that long awaited goal to be achieved and celebrated and then… You realize nothing else is in your pipeline of urgency, inspiration or excitement. The exhilarating ride is completely gone, and if one isn’t careful almost a depressed like state will take over.
As you begin to see you are closing in on the finish line, take time to think about those new ideas or what you enjoyed most on this current project. Don’t finish the trail but instead keep extending it. Knowing you have something to pursue keeps the energy moving in the right direction along with the motivation to keep pursuing.
Repeat
Fine-tune a system that works for you to continue moving forward. All of these pointers will magically increase time efficiencies and enable you to finish on time. Even better you will accomplish more in any given period.
As you turn the system into an adhered to habit, others will be asking you for help and will lead to the Smooth Sale!
