Through my consulting engagements, I’ve noticed business owners frequently fail to organize their time. They often presume, usually incorrectly, that they can keep every detail, meeting time, and responsibility organized in their heads. This is almost an impossible ask for your mind, and keeps you from attaining high levels of efficiency. I’ve witnessed business owners miss meetings, forget to call back clients, or fail to show up at family events. These oversights can lead to financial, relational, or opportunity loss.
Here’s a simple tip that I adopted years ago that helps me stay on top of my responsibilities. One of the first things I do Monday morning is to organize my week on paper like this:
● What tasks do I need to accomplish personally?
● What tasks do I need to complete for each client?
● Who do I need to connect with through a text, email, coffee, or lunch?
● What are some of the goals I want to attain this week?
I jot all this information in a notebook and check off each completed item as the week progresses. I also upload all my scheduled meetings and phone calls to a web-based calendar, complete with reminder notifications. During the week I reference my notes numerous times, updating my to do lists, and noting which tasks I accomplished.
*Quick point of interest, neuroscience research has proven if you write something down on paper you’ll remember it much better than if you typed it (Neuroscience News – March 19, 2021 https://neurosciencenews.com/hand-writing-brain-activity-18069/).
I encourage you next Monday to take a few moments in the morning, shut out all the noise, and frame out on paper what your week needs to look like. I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the positive results!
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