I am often asked how I am able to stay so focused and accomplish so much so quickly. Many people think that I must work non-stop – but this is not true. Admittedly, I used to be one of those people who put in a 12 hour day then came home to work on the weekends. Now I have simply learned some ways to work smarter and not harder – freeing up my time and energy to pursue my passions and spend time with my loved ones.

So here are some of my tips and tricks so that you can get off the 12 hour treadmill and start having more control over your time!
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Importance of Space
Creating a functional workspace will have an incredible impact on your energy, focus, and productivity. This space should be dedicated 100% to your work. Each day you enter this space, you should instantly be able to get started and ready to go.

Clear the clutter! You may think that you are able to work just fine with those piles of paper on the desk, extra files on the floor, and things strewn about; but you will never become efficient working in that environment.

Create a filing system. File away only documents that you will need to refer back to. Throw away or shred anything you will never need again. Organize your files into groups such as finances, marketing, clients, and staff. Use the same labels for your paper (hard copy) files as well as your computer and email (soft copy) files.

Get Inspired!Hang your vision board directly above your desk. Look at it each day. Visualize that you have achieved that ideal life. If what you are spending time, energy and money on is not getting you closer to your vision, STOP IMMEDIATELY! Focus on the big picture.

Model Calendar
This is one of my biggest secrets! Many people focus on to-do lists – unfortunately as a business owner there are tasks that you must do each week to ensure your business success.

A model calendar blocks out time each week to focus on specific tasks. Every business owner should block out time for returning phone calls and emails, marketing, professional development, client relationships, and business planning.

This is essentially setting meetings for yourself. Each meeting has a purpose. Focus on the topic at hand during this meeting – do not get distracted by email, the phone, or your to-do list. Your productivity will skyrocket when you begin to systematize how you approach the key tasks to running your business.

To Do Lists
Many of us keep a to-do list that never seems to end. New things are constantly being added to the list. It becomes so overwhelming that you begin to focus on the little things instead of the more challenging tasks. Wasting time and energy sweating the small stuff will prevent you from achieving your bigger vision.

Years ago, as a graduate student, I read Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful People. This book completely transformed how I looked at where I spend my time and energy. One of the tools I began to use was a Four-Corner To-Do List. Download Four Corner To Do List

This to-do list prioritizes your tasks by importance and urgency. If you focus on the important tasks at hand (and use a model calendar), you will quickly find that the number of urgent tasks is dramatically reduced as you focus energy on important tasks.

With few urgent tasks, you begin to get more control over your time. You can plan out your day, even your week, in advance, knowing that urgent issues can be handed at your convenience!
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