PRODUCTIVITY HACKS WHEN YOU HAVE
A FAMILY AND A BUSINESS
Many business owners also have families. Below are 10 productivity hacks pulled and adapted from Forbes.com and Thenextweb.com to help you get the most of your work day while ensuring that you have time and energy left over for your family.
1) Plan a rough outline for your day the night before. What do you want to accomplish? What are important calls to make? What should you review? Some persons find it useful to have a rough outline for how they would like their week to go as well. Insert important tasks in your online calendar so you will get reminders.
2) You are in business to make money. Determine the three or four most profitable tasks on your list daily. Set a timer and focus on working on each one. Limit distractions. One technique you may consider using is the Pomodoro Technique: a time management method developed in the late 1980s. The system consists of using a timer, which breaks down work in several intervals — typically 25 minutes — separated by short breaks and the occasional long break.
3) All experts agree that multitasking does not work. Instead do one thing at a time. If you are writing an article, don’t check emails or send texts in the middle of the task.
4) Create rituals for your work or office space. What do you need to put you in a work frame of mind? Do you need to have a cup of coffee or tea or water within your reach? Do you work best with your curtains open or light music without lyrics in the background? Ensure that your space is the same way each day as rituals will help you to focus.
5) Send short to the point emails without being rude. If something is urgent and important, pick up the phone. This limits times wasted with back and forth emails.
6) Social networks are the enemy of productivity. Schedule a specific time slot for social media and when it is over, exit. Turn off notifications from social media apps when you are working on priority tasks. If you are not using social media to generate leads, and revenue, social media should not be stealing time from your day.
7) What are your minimum viable daily tasks? This is the minimum amount of work you can do each day and still feel accomplished. If you use this technique ensure that your tasks are realistic and can be accomplished within the timeframe you allocated. Anything else you do will then feel like a bonus.
8) Practice being fully present. When you are with your spouse or children be fully with your spouse and children as they know when you are distracted. When you are focusing on tasks at work, be fully present then as well.
9) Know when to delegate and outsource. It is impossible for you to do everything in your business well and still have time for family. Know the critical tasks that you must handle and outsource or delegate everything else.
10) When you have a family and a business getting a good night’s rest as often as possible, regular exercise and getaways are paramount to help you feel rejuvenated. Working long grueling hours is seldom as productive as working smart when your mind, body and spirit are reenergized.
Start using some of the productivity hacks above to get the most out of your workday, every day!
Sources: Monique Alvarez, Seven Productivity Hacks for Entrepreneur Parents, Forbes
Sahil Parikh, 15 Productivity Tips for a Startup Parent, The Next Web
Adapted by Shellecia Brooks-Johnson
