When I Decided to Leave Corporate America, and Pursue Entrepreneurship
When I decided to leave corporate America, and pursue entrepreneurship it was a scary thought but I knew it was the only solution in order for me to create a work life balance that works best for my family. Being a single mother of 2 school age little girls does not afford me much flexibility regarding my work schedule. My typical work day starts at 9:00am and must end by 3:00pm in order to get the kids from school, not to mention those darn minimum days that the schools have which completely throws a monkey wrench in my work week so if you account for the minimum days and my 6-hour work days I only have roughly 30 hours or less a week to get my work done.
To be effective in building my business I must maximize my time. I must make every minute count. I found these 3 tips helps me to stay on tract and be focused!
- Have a purpose.
Purpose offers clarity and direction. It generates the energy you need to be productive because it’s something you believe in. It’s much easier to work towards something when we know what that “something” is.
- Devote your entire focus to the task at hand.
Close out all other browser windows. Put your phone away, out of sight and on silent. Find a quiet place to work or listen to some music if that helps you (I LOVE listening to music it helps keep me energized and it helps me zone out and puts me in a rhythm that allows me to get things done).
Concentrate on this one task. Nothing else should exist. Immerse yourself in it.
- Prioritize wisely.
Stephen Covey, co-author of First Things First, offers an organizational tool for your to-do list based on how important and urgent tasks are.
Looking at what goes into making up your day, where do your activities fit into these categories?
Important and urgent — Tasks that must be done. Do them right away.
Important but not urgent — Tasks that appear important, but upon closer examination aren’t. Decide when to do them.
Urgent but not important — Tasks that make the most “noise,” but when accomplished, have little or no lasting value. Delegate these if possible.
Not urgent and not important — Low-priority stuff that offer the illusion of “being busy.” Do them later.
Write down your three or four “important and urgent” tasks that must be addressed today. As you complete each one, check it off your list. This will provide you with a sense of accomplishment and can motivate you to tackle less essential items.
