Does it ever seem like your to-do list grows by the day and you never get to check anything off of it? Are you working longer days and not feeling like you get to spend as much quality time with your family and friends? As your business grows (and that\u2019s a good thing), so do your responsibilities. But how are you ever supposed to get everything done?<\/p>\n
Perhaps you are like the cowardly lion from the movie, \u201cThe Wizard of Oz.\u201d He said in the movie, \u201cI haven\u2019t any courage at all! I even scare myself. Look at the circles under my eyes! I haven\u2019t slept in weeks!\u201d<\/p>\n
If everything you have to do to keep your business growing is making you lose sleep, grab some courage and tackle the tough tasks first. Set aside the first two hours (or whatever amount of time you choose) of your work day to do the work you feel will be the hardest part of your day. This might be a sales call with a new customer who you\u2019ve been working on for months. Or it might be talking to an employee that you\u2019ve had challenges with. Maybe you don\u2019t like sitting at a desk and working on financials,<\/p>\n
so you need to do this the first thing every day or every week and get the tough tasks out of the way.<\/p>\n
What is your time worth? The adage, \u201ctime is money\u201d is true, and if you ho hum around avoiding the tough tasks on your to-do list, you are losing time and potentially losing profit. By facing the toughest tasks first, you have the opportunity for further growth. Maybe you have been working with a potential customer for months, and if you contact them early in the day and make a sale, you are already growing your business first thing. Have an employee that isn\u2019t meeting expectations? Tackle that issue first thing in the morning to start improving productivity.<\/p>\n
When we have the courage to face the toughest tasks or the jobs we are dreading, we get those out of the way, and the rest of our day, can only improve. And what if something good comes out of that sales call you\u2019ve been dreading to make? Then you are starting your day on a high note, after you\u2019ve checked that task from the to-do list.<\/p>\n
On Inc.com, Jeff Haden suggests choosing the 2-3 most important tasks (MIT) to tackle each day. As you make your daily to-do list, put these MIT at the top of the list with a goal to have them accomplished by noon each day. That gives you time for other tasks that need be accomplished.<\/p>\n
It is human nature to avoid the tough times. But if you focus on the tough tasks in your job first, you will notice increased productivity, the potential for more financial growth and days that will fly by more quickly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"