It’s not enough to dream of success. It is not even enough to merely set goals.

The only way to truly achieve your dreams and build the business you’re meant to build is to sit down and GET INTO IT.

And that’s where many of us…well, fail is a strong word. But it’s the lack of follow-through and limited action that trips us up more times than not.
We overbook our calendars until today’s to-dos become next week’s past dues.

We are good productive procrastinators with the best of intentions.
And sometimes we simply take on too much— but often, we are stuck, held back with fear, and shamed by unsettling feelings as a result of our inner mind chatter and a lack of direction.

The answer?

Embrace these five productivity hacks that high performing entrepreneurs implement to get more done in less time.

1. Rituals and Habits: Simply put, a ritual or habit is a consistent way of doing something. You have a morning ritual (wake up, brush your teeth, work out, shower, and head to your office), an evening ritual (check homework, tuck the kids in, watch the evening news, and hit the sack), weekend ritual (sleep late, mow the lawn, catch a movie, visit your mom), and many others. The trouble is, if you’re not careful with your routines, they can turn into productivity killers. Is checking Facebook or email a part of your morning routine? Is scanning YouTube a part of your work ritual? Distractions such as these can turn even your best intentions into hours of wasted time. Take a good look at your daily routine. What are you doing that you should not be—or that should be moved to another part of your day?Make your rituals more efficient, automate, delegate and you’ll automatically get more done.

2. Calendar Management: Want to know how much time you really have available for that new project? Try blocking off time in your calendar for all your existing projects. Fill in all your client calls, your business administrative tasks, time for meals and breaks, outside appointments, and everything else you’re committed to. What’s left might just shock you. Make it a habit to block time in your calendar for every commitment, and you’ll never again over-promise or over-commit.

3. Learn to Let Go: Here’s a news flash. You do not have to do everything in your business. You can (and should) delegate tasks that eat up your time but bring you little revenue to someone else. Hire a VA to create your documents and manage your calendar. Let your tech support person manage your blog and email. Turn over your bookkeeping to an accountant. The time you free up will allow you to work on what’s truly important—and that only you can do.

4. Work Hard/Smart, Play Harder: You are not a machine. You cannot work all day every day and hope to be at your best all the time. Take a day off. Learn to celebrate your wins and learn from failures.
   Get some rest, or relax on a long, slow hike.

   Take a friend out to lunch. Be PRESENT with your family and friends. See a movie or a play. Do something—anything—other than work.
   Embrace a hobby that brings you joy.

   Not only will you return to the office feeling much more refreshed, but you’ll find yourself more creative and much more focused as well as more productive than you were before.

   Learn to love life and appreciate the small things!

5. Focus: Multi-tasking is impossible. You cannot efficiently create a new product or service while you’re simultaneously surfing Facebook, keeping an eye on the kids or spending time with your partner, and answering the phone every time it rings. Instead, use your calendar to block time off for important tasks, then turn everything else off so you can focus.No phone, no Facebook, no kids or husbands, partners or neighbors or pets demanding “just a minute” of your time. Tune everything out, and you’ll find your work getting done much faster.Set boundaries. Set rules to live by.

Change your way. Change your life. Change your business.

Managing your time and turning up your productivity is not something that comes naturally to most people, but when you learn to master this skill, you’ll find your business grows right along with YOU.

LT