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MenuHow should entrepreneurs divide their week?
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There's a bit of myth regarding time management in my view. That said, I think there are two perspectives to the answer - depending on your perspective in asking the question. If you're asking because you seem to be running out of steam before you get the work you need done in a week, I'd suggest your issue is not time management but either energy management or focus.
I've done a few blog/podcasts on this subject from that angle:
http://wisenapkin.com/2014/01/10/four-step-focus-man-dave-lakhani/
http://wisenapkin.com/2014/02/25/profit-favors-action-dave-lakhani-president-bold-approach-inc/
http://wisenapkin.com/2013/12/19/time-management-is-a-myth-michael-walsh/
On the other hand, if you feel like you work all day and are failing to get ahead on the key and important parts of your day, I'd suggest you have an issue with establishing priorities:
http://wisenapkin.com/2014/03/25/live-the-picture-jack-daly-speaker-trainer-coach-author/
http://wisenapkin.com/2014/02/18/defend-your-yes-jay-papasan-author-publisher-and-entrepreneur/
Make it a great day!
I'm a fan of Dan Sullivan's "The Time Breakthrough" as a starting point for entrepreneurial "time management".
After working with it for a while you'll find your own rhythms - the key to maximum efficiency and fulfillment.
Here's my philosophy, when you're doing something you love, that you're passionate about there never seem to be enough hours in the day...when you're not into it or passionate about it , you can't wait for the day to end. At least that's my personal experience where there can be day to variances and some days we all just need a break.
I think entrepreneurs should fit time for creativity and coming up with ideas, working on product, and making new connections into their week. Making contacts and connections is probably the most important thing...they're the most helpful. At the end of the day it's not always what you know unfortunately, it's who you know.
Then, at the end of the day you need to take time for YOU. Rest, watch a movie, sleep. That's usually when you'll get your best ideas, when you're not trying to have them.
There are an infinite number of books and articles on time management. Which method you choose is a matter of your personality, energy and industry.
Regardless, the concept of Zero Level is crucial to any entrepreneur. Every single day there are certain things that are non-optional in your business. This is your Zero Level. Once you nail your Zero Level, other action items for the week more naturally fall into place.
Read more at http://deborahtutnauer.com/entrepreneur-success-coach/zero-level/
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How can entrepreneurs deal with information overload?
Keep your head down and work on your own project. Stop being a spectator to what other people are up to. Ignore all the noise. Start unsubscribing from mailing lists. Delete your memberships at social media platforms, or at least stop logging in. Stop paying attention to Twitter feeds. Treat them like TV channels. Watching TV and following tweets is not entrepreneurship! Want to read? Read a book. Divide your email into critical and non-critical inboxes. Make yourself a rule not to check the optional inbox except on Friday evenings between 4 and 9 p.m. With any luck, you'll be enjoying life too much to bother. Friday nights are a good laboratory for testing those priorities. Force your inbox and twitter feeds to compete for attention with your significant other, and see who wins! Soon you'll recognize how unimportant that stuff is. Information overload is an excuse addicts make for their addiction. It's akin to compulsive rubbish hoarding or an all-day TV binge. Endlessly following the latest startups is no different from endlessly following celebrity gossip. Just because the people you read about are accomplishing things does not mean you are. If you have any ambition, then you can create something while ignoring what other people are doing and saying. A novelist or an inventor will keep busy on their own work to an almost hermit-like extent. If 100 people started throwing 100 objects toward you simultaneously in a hopelessly mismatched game of dodge ball, why would you be under any obligation to catch them all? Stop paying attention. Stop following. Lead! Do something!JP
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What should an entrepreneur be spending his/her time on?
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How much of a work day should be unique problem solving and what percentage is simply tasks such as following up?
It depends on your charter or mission as well as your long term vs. Short term objectives. If your mission involves a larger more expansive view - then you will need to spend a lot more time on unique problem solving that has a strong potential ROI feeding the fulfillment of the mission. It kind of boils down to ROI (return on investment) vs. risk for me: I look at the ROI and risk (opportunity cost) for almost everything that I choose to do - this helps me compare various choices for what to focus on daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. Having clear objectives for the month, week and year also help in selecting what percentage of time as per your question. If the solution of this problem feeds the fulfillment of your objectives vs. the solution of this problem prevents a risky situation: that may be the question to answer. I hope this helps. Feel free to interact so that I can delve into the complexities and nuances that are inevitably there.SB
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How Do You Predict Where You Will Be At the End of 2014? And what is your process including use of apps for setting and achieving goals in 2014?
Hi Michael, Yes: there is a way to do this. That is the brunt of what I train business owners and professionals to do: the key is in brain science. There are a couple of points and then the basic practices: a. The brain can only handle about four items per day of high priority b. These items need to be outcome oriented: i.e. a number or observable event : not action oriented which is what most people do (if you don't the brain does a pattern mismatch and triggers a worry response) c. Create four max. long term objectives: e.g. for the year d. Ensure that daily there is some correlation between the daily outcomes and the long term objectives e. Create a mission statement, and ensure the same correlation Works very well: and I gave you the gist: however, this requires some practice and daily coaching: about 10 to 15 minutes a day for four days a week for between 3 to 6 months. We have experimented with apps, but found that email is hands down the way to get this done daily. The daily emails track the correlation, training in picking the best daily outcome, provides accountability etc. Then we train people in how to schedule into their calendars (electronic preferred with alarms set - so you don't worry about pacing - your smart phone does) using 21 Safe and Sane management tips: these are done in a way to increase flexibility : i.e. more blank space on the calendar to handle innovation time and breakdowns that inevitably occur. I am oversimplifying, but it works and we have the data and 22 years of working with thousands of clients to demonstrate Kind regards, Sunil BhaskaranSB
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