It's time to be honest! Are you really spending the time you need to each day on growing your business? Or are you getting distracted with time wasters like surfing the Internet, hanging out on Facebook or other busy work that isn't leading to profits?
If your time management and productivity habits are holding you back, it will be impossible to grow your business. That's why it's so important to start building good habits that support your marketing needs and help you reach your goals. I know what it's like to try to overhaul your life (and habits!) in one fell swoop. It doesn't work so well! But what ALWAYS works is taking one step at a time. Here's where you start:
1. Commit to doing things differently - Nothing in your business will change unless you start changing the way you think about your business. Own your past mistakes and don't make excuses about them. Commit to yourself right now that you'll be changing your habits. Focus on all the benefits that you'll achieve once you make those changes - more clients, more income and more freedom. Make the decision to take the first step... TODAY!
2. Get organized - Lack of organization can cost you serious amounts of time, and your time as a business owner is precious. Dedicate yourself to getting more organized so you can hit the ground running. Start with organizing your marketing efforts into a plan. If the thought of planning 6 months or a year seems overwhelming, that's OK. Start with this week! Outline what you want to accomplish and then break down those goals into easy to implement action steps.
3. Face the facts about how you're spending your time - We all receive the gift of 24 hours each day. Of those 24 hours, let's say that 8 hours are dedicated to work and building your business. That's all you've got each day - so how are you going to spend it? Will you focus ONLY on your priority tasks? Will you allow email, phone calls and other distractions suck your time away? When you face the fact that those eight hours are all you have each day, and that spending those eight hours wisely is absolutely key to your success, it becomes much easier to eliminate distractions and stay focused. Of course, uncontrollable events will occur, but you can always make a choice about how you will spend your time budget.
4. Be accountable - Let friends and family know about your schedule and that you're not available for personal calls during your work hours. Block out specific times during the day when you check your email and handle social media. During other times keep your email program CLOSED so you can avoid new messages and alerts that can distract you. Work with a marketing coach who can help you define your projects, break them down into chunks and stay on track with your progress.
Bad marketing habits don't have to hold you back forever! When you own up to your past mistakes, make a commitment to building better habits and set up accountability systems, you will start to see the results that good habits and consistency can bring.
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