7

Time and Personal Management Ideas

Successful entrepreneurs work incredibly long hours, so it's important to make the most of every minute.

Achieving a balance between work and life isn't as difficult as you think. The secret is to be organized, set priorities, and relentlessly delegate mundane tasks.

You must set boundaries to protect your time and space. If you have to meet a deadline, shut your door. Don't be so accessible. In fact, some of the most successful people in the world, including Warren Buffett, don't carry a mobile phone. Think about that.

The phone is an electronic tether. But you can prevent it from strangling you. One way to reduce phone tag is to schedule important calls. A scheduled call has another advantage: it gives you time to prepare for the conversation.

Unless you are under 18, avoid using text messages to conduct business. Text an address or contact information, but don't send confidential information.

I'm convinced e-mail hampers, rather than boosts productivity. I promise if you try checking e-mail on a schedule rather than throughout the day, you will have more time to work.

Unless you are an emergency room physician, brain surgeon, or national security adviser, there is no reason to be online all the time. Not too long ago, business was conducted via letters and memos. The fax machine speeded things up. If something was extremely urgent, we sent documents via an overnight service. So when did people start expecting a response within seconds?

I believe we make really bad decisions because we don't think before responding to e-mail.

If you really want to improve personal productivity, set daily priorities. Focus on the tasks that only you can perform. We all can fill up a day with nonessential tasks, but why?

In the past, every boss had a secretary or an assistant. With cost cutting and the advent personal computers and e-mail, business owners started doing everything themselves. No wonder productivity plummeted and blood pressure spiked.

If it's possible to hire an assistant, even for a few hours a week, do it. My incredible research assistant is virtual. Mavis lives in Virginia and I live in Vermont, but through the magic of e-mail and phone, we communicate well.

She managed my interview schedule and conducted much of the research for this book. I couldn't have done it without her help.

If your assistant works in your office, empower him or her to keep the space around you clear. You need to be protected from interruptions so you can concentrate on your work.

Delegating is tough. Business owners tend to be control freaks and have a tough time letting go. I admit, it took me years to stop micromanaging projects I assigned to freelance consultants or employees. I wasted everyone's time by peering over shoulders and second-guessing their work. I finally learned that asking for periodic progress reports builds trust as long as you set reasonable deadlines and hold people accountable.

In addition to practical time management strategies, this chapter features some great ideas for managing your life and time. We have to deal with issues affecting both work and home because when you own a company, you are the business.