7 Productivity Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make (and how to overcome them) + 7 small actions
Julie's business is doing well. She has clients and the cash flow to pay herself and her employees, but she can't seem to channel that into productivity. She keeps making the same productivity mistakes familiar to others entrepreneurs and business owners.
"I've tried everything!", Julie says as she walks into the office building on a Wednesday morning, juggling coffee cups in one hand and keys for both her car and the building in the other.
Julie does not plan her days. She does not set time aside to rest and hates delegating. This damages her business and her well-being.
What can she do?
In this post, you will learn the most common productivity mistakes entrepreneurs and business owners make, what they cost your business... and, most importantly, how to overcome each of these productivity mistakes + 7 small actions you can take today to increase your productivity!
7 Productivity Mistakes Entrepreneurs & Business Owners Make (and how to overcome them)
The 7 Productivity Mistakes you are Making as a Business Owner
How to Overcome the Most Common Productivity Mistakes among Entrepreneurs
The 7 Small Actions you can Implement Today to Become a Productive Business Owner
Get The 5-Step Process I Use To Squeeze In 107 Minutes Of Free Time, Every Day.
7 Productivity Mistakes that Entrepreneurs & Business Owners Make
It's not easy being an entrepreneur. With so many tasks to juggle every day, staying on top of everything can be difficult.
These are the seven most common productivity mistakes entrepreneurs and business owners make... which costs them time, energy, and $$.
Productivity Mistake #1: Not Planning the Day, Week & Month
Dedicating a few minutes to planning the day seems like a waste of time.
After all, why bother when new tasks emerge as the day advances?
The problem with this approach is that it is doomed to fail... why?
It will make you unproductive.
It will make you disorganized.
It will make you stressed.
As a result, you might work all day long without getting much done.
Productivity Mistake #2: Not Setting Time to Rest (and Sleep)
It is no surprise that entrepreneurs often feel they have to work harder than everyone else to succeed.
Which might actually be true...
But not setting time to rest (without feeling guilty) is one of the most dangerous mistakes business owners can make.
How can you expect to run a successful business if you don't give yourself time to rest?
Productivity Mistake #3: Not Delegating Tasks
Even though Julie has successfully built a business from scratch, she secretly wished another person could help her out with specific tasks here and there.
But she would always ignore the decision to delegate her work.
"Nobody can do it as I can.”
This is probably the most common excuse you hear among entrepreneurs and business owners when they refer to the inability to delegate.
But running a business requires you to delegate tasks to others — some of which they will do better than you do.
Delegate. Delegate. Delegate.
Productivity Mistake #4: Not Learning How to Prioritize
When the vast majority of your week is spent putting out fires and trying to keep your head above water, it may be time to prioritize and simplify.
But most entrepreneurs aren't able to do it.
Instead, they want to get everything done.
From the mission to the logo, the financial plan, the content, the sales calls, the payments, [name any other business activity].
But are all of your tasks a priority?
Hint: the answer is no.
Productivity Mistake #5: Not Managing Time
It can be challenging to manage time as an entrepreneur.
After all, you don't have a strict schedule.
And a boss to oblige to.
But if you don't manage your time, you might end up with a lifestyle that makes you feel miserable.
Productivity Mistake #6: Not Enjoying Themselves outside Work
What do you do apart from work?
Many entrepreneurs and business owners struggle to answer that question.
Not because they don't have other activities they enjoy doing. But because they might have ignored those activities for some time now.
They let their businesses consume all of their free time. And they can often feel like nothing can make them happy anymore besides work.
Productivity Mistake #7: Not Accepting Mistakes
Entrepreneurs can be perfectionists. This means they often struggle to accept their mistakes (as part of their humanity) and expect EVERYTHING to be perfect...
Sadly, this can lead to:
Procrastination
Repeating the same tasks multiple times
Never finishing what they intend to
Low energy
We’ve discussed 7 of the most common mistakes that entrepreneurs make when it comes to productivity. Now you know what they are and how to avoid them!
But don’t stop reading here—continue for the actionable tips so that you can overcome these obstacles once and for all.
How to Overcome the Most Common Productivity Mistakes among Entrepreneurs
It is not enough to recognize your productivity mistakes. Even more important than recognition is action.
These next steps will help you avoid falling into the lack of productivity trap as a business owner. After all, having too much on your plate does not mean you can't be productive. It's the exact opposite.
It means you must learn how to be productive.
#1 How to Plan your Days & Months as an Entrepreneur
If you're running a business, you can't ignore the importance of getting your days and months planned.
Even if your day-to-day is subject to changes and setbacks, you must have a vision of how you want things to move forward. Otherwise, you risk filling your day with tasks that won't get you far.
To plan, you can use whatever you prefer — a productivity app, a planner, or a simple sheet of paper.
Here's how to plan your days:
Write down the essential tasks you need to get done
Attribute them a day and time of completion during the day/week/month
Organize your schedule around the tasks you have to complete.
If you're still unsure about planning the day, read the 7 Reasons Why you should really Plan your Days here.
Erasable Planner by InfiniteBook
#2 How to Set Time to Rest as a Business Owner
Lack of sleep is common among entrepreneurs because they're constantly thinking about their business. But this is no way to live life...
If you don't learn to rest and take time off, you are doing more harm than good.
These two studies show exactly the two sides of the coin:
Entrepreneurs who sleep more are better at spotting good ideas (read the study here)
Companies lose an estimated $2,280 per employee each year due to sleep deprivation. If you're running your own company, guess who supports the costs? Exactly... (read the study here)
To which side do you want to belong?
"Several specific deficits among exhausted entrepreneurs demonstrate that even the most dedicated founders could best serve their fledgling venture by resting up.” — Harvard Business Review
Here are some ways to rest while running a business:
Give yourself monthly holidays (and stick to them)
Create a "not-to-do-list" and avoid business-related activities for some time
Establish healthy sleep patterns and habits
Understand that breaks will make you more productive
Embrace the need to rest guilt-free (read more about it here)
#3 How to Delegate Tasks as a Business Owner
Even if you choose to work daily on your business because you love it or can't afford to hire a new team member, you must learn to delegate tasks.
After all, if your business can't run without you, you have a problem. What happens if you are sick? Will your business crumble?
It's important to design each small part of the process as if it would be replicated in another location by another person.
The entrepreneur Derek Sivers did this when he created a manual for CD Baby and then made himself unnecessary because that was all detailed within the operations manual.
Here's how to delegate tasks as a business owner:
Make a list of all the activities you don't enjoy doing, activities you're not good at, and activities that others could efficiently perform
Specify the goal, procedures, and expected results from each of those activities
Delegate the tasks to a competent team member or hire accordingly
Consider hiring freelancers just for particular projects and tasks, rather than making them part of the team.
“How can I own my business, and still be free of it?”
— Michael Gerber
#4 How to Prioritize your Tasks as an Entrepreneur
I'm sure you've been there.
You have a million things to do, and they all seem so urgent. It's hard to know where to start, how much time you should spend on each task, or what order to do them in.
That's why prioritizing is one of the critical skills you should develop as an entrepreneur.
Not all tasks are a requirement, and not all tasks have the same degree of importance.
If you don't learn to prioritize your most important tasks, you are not prioritizing the success of your business.
I love to use the Productivity Planner, in which I'm forced to prioritize tasks every day.
[1] What is the most important task of the day?
[2] What are the secondary tasks of importance?
[3] Additional tasks?
When you answer these questions, you can't go wrong with prioritization — you must start with the most important task for the day.
Productivity Planner by Intelligent Change
#5 How to Manage your Time even when Busy!
I managed to get past through college with top grades, without EVER working past 10 p.m.
"How do you manage to do it?"
I guess I manage my time effectively.
You're not the only one who's had to manage their time.
And, sure, it can be hard when you don't have a boss that tells you what to do and when to do it for the day.
But if you don't learn how to manage your time correctly, you might end up with a lifestyle that makes you feel miserable.
Put these five simple rules into practice and watch your free time increase significantly!
Plan your working days effectively
Prioritize the tasks you have on your schedule
Eliminate distractions and avoid multitasking
Learn how to focus intensively on your work
Take time to rest & recharge
#6 How to Enjoy Yourself Outside Work!
Business owners are always on the go and often forget to take care of themselves.
Entrepreneurs experience the temptation to put off work, but more important things often need to be done.
They either forget to engage in other activities, or they simply ignore their needs.
But you don't want this happening to you!
Here are ten activities you can include to enjoy yourself outside work!
Meditation
Journaling
Physical exercise
Reading
Date with a partner or friend
Playing board games
Walking outside
Gratitude practice
Dinner out
Watching a movie or tv series.
#7 How to Let Go of Perfectionism
"I like everything neat, orderly, and perfect before presenting my ideas."
Perfectionism is a destructive mindset. It doesn't allow you to take risks, and it can prevent you from finishing what you start.
With these steps in mind, you can start letting go of the negative side of perfectionism:
Identify your perfectionist tendencies
Accept that you are not perfect, and there is no such thing as such
Once you identify the triggers, find other ways to cope with them
Take care of yourself - take breaks, delegate jobs, and prioritize mental health
Focus on progress rather than perfection
Accept your mistakes! They are an essential part of progress.
I know you're busy running your company or another big project. That's why I've made this blog post to give you plenty of ideas for improving your efficiency.
Put them into practice!
The 7 Small Actions you can Implement Today to Become a Productive Business Owner
Let's take a step back for a second.
You've learned what the most common productivity mistakes are, what they cost your business - and you know exactly how to overcome them.
Now it's time to get started!
Here are seven small actions you can implement TODAY to make your days more productive as a business owner!
#1 Small Action for Planning your day:
Grab a sheet of paper, and plan in detail your next working day!
#2 Small Action for Resting and Recharging:
Set a day next week which you won't dedicate to the business. Let your team know about it in advance.
#3 Small Action for Delegation:
Choose one simple task and delegate it! If you don't have anyone to delegate to, try Fiverr.com.
#4 Small Action for Prioritization:
Choose one single activity to focus on tomorrow!
#5 Small Action for Time-Management:
Eliminate all distractions (phone, social media, the news, etc.) and challenge yourself to finish a task in the shortest time possible.
#6 Small Action for Enjoying Yourself:
Invite a friend for an outside activity!
#7 Small Action for Letting Perfectionism Go:
Post something (social media, blog post, etc.) that you consider to be imperfect.
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