As an internet entrepreneur, I am constantly being told I can work less hours than in a “normal” job and earn a lot more money. However, this has definitely not been the case for me. For the past 12 months I have found myself practically enslaved to my PC and am working far more hours than would probably be legal for anyone in regular employment. As part of my business development process I have been made aware of some great time saving tips and tricks which ensure I can get more done in less time and make sure I can get off the PC at a decent time in the evening!
I have blogged about six methods below which can give you more free time than Santa Claus and you should use them every day, with no excuses, for three weeks until they become habitual.
1. Get Focused
I have been guilty of wasting hours and hours every day not doing anything particularly constructive and certainly not leading me towards my goals.
Make a note of everything you do each day in your business. I mean everything – opening the mail to creating your latest information products. Then, when you have a nice long list, isolate three things which are critical to your business growth. These could the A Tasks I discussed in an earlier blog post and they are the tasks you simply must get done that day.
2. Switch Off Distractions
In addition to not having a clear focus of what needs to be achieved each day, another major cause of wasted time is distractions. In this day and age we are surrounded by them – emails, mobile phones, Twitter, Facebook, Skype, MSN and sudden ideas.
Every distraction can lead to 11 minutes of lost time and if you make yourself available every second of the day then you will never get anything done. When you are working on your critical tasks, shut yourself away from the rest of the world. That means closing down Outlook, Skype, your web browser and switching off your mobile phone. If anyone does contact you then you can deal with messages left for you at a more appropriate time.
If you are wary of upsetting your customers by not being at their every beck and call, add an autoresponder to your main business email and state what times you are available to answer queries. Similarly, you can record an answering machine message conveying the same information. Despite living in a social web where customers expect availability 24/7, they will soon realise your time is valuable and subconsciously they will respect you for it
3. Capture Your Ideas
Being an internet entrepreneur means you have ideas constantly swilling around your head. This can be a real drag if you get too distracted so you need a method to capture all those ideas and store them away to be dealt with later. Whether it’s the fact you need to buy a loaf of bread or you come up with a great idea for a blog post, they need to be dealt with so you can get back to what you were supposed to be doing.
The obvious way to do this is by good old fashioned pen and paper, or you can store it electronically on your PC. The bread will get captured and transferred to this week’s shopping list. Emails you need to write will get captured and added to a client contact list while new blog post ideas will be added to the blog-to-do list. Once these ideas are filed accordingly they can be dealt with one at a time and ticked off.
4. Work Smarter, Not Harder
I have always found I worked much better when under the pressure of a firm deadline. This was always the case while at university, I’d always leave my essays until the last minute and still get them done no problem. Similarly, I’d always cram for an exam the night before and remember loads of information because I simply had to!
Adopt the same approach with your online business to avoid procrastination and general slacking off. Invest in a countdown timer and set it for an hour to complete a critical task. I did this with this very blog post and managed to get it done with time to spare when it would usually take me two to three hours to complete.
If pitting yourself against the clock is not enough, then set up a small reward for completing the task. Perhaps there is a new movie you want to watch or a restaurant you want to visit. Make sure you only get rewarded when the work is done!
5. Avoid a Slow Email Death
I know we covered email briefly in section two but it really is worth spending more time on. As you can see from the graphic above, over one quarter of an office worker’s day is consumed by messing about with emails and other messages. It’s no wonder a lot of small businesses go under with that level of distraction!
When it’s time to deal with your email messages, move the unimportant ones to another folder to be handled at a later time. If it’s from a customer, either reply to them or mark it for when you have all the information they require to hand. Once it’s been replied to, store it in another folder. File away your newsletters and set aside some time to scan through them and then act upon whatever looks valuable to your business.
What we are trying to achieve here is to keep your inbox as empty as possible. There is no point in wading through emails numerous times when they have already been dealt with.
6. Make Sure You Don’t Drown
You are in real danger of information overload if you don’t take steps to filter out all the junk which can waste hours and hours every day. I use a free RSS reader plugin for Firefox, Wizz RSS, and have plugged in feeds for several industry blogs and social networking sites I want to keep an eye on. Rather than me loading up each website individually to look for new content, the RSS reader presents me with a list of blog post titles enabling me to scan for anything interesting in a matter of seconds.
I also love to use Twitter. I now have over 40,000 followers but the people I am really interested in do not get lost among the noise because I use Seesmic Desktop. This great piece of software allows me to create “groups” of followers so their tweets are displayed on their own timeline and the rest just gets filtered out. You can also use Tweetdeck to achieve the same result.
Final Thoughts – Do It Your Way
These are all common sense tips to help you become more productive in your daily business but it all boils down to how you work best rather than me telling you how you should work.
For example, you may find yourself more creative in the morning but are generally unproductive after lunch. This means all your critical tasks should be dealt with first thing and then after lunch you can do things like reply to emails and other messages.
If you find you are getting your critical tasks out of the way earlier then you should be able to cut down your working hours each day. There’s no reason why you cannot halve your workday and double your overall productivity!
You may also be interested in 10 Secrets of a Successful Online Business which can help to narrow your focus and help your productivity soar!
Hi David,
Love this post and love the images you are placcing on your blog, great impact!
No.05 can catch me out TBH. I’m working further towards only checking email twice a day and sooooo satisfying when I acheive it!
(love the Sinatra Image
Talk soon
Sean
Hi Sean,
I have always had my email inbox open on my second monitor so shutting it off has been a tough habit to break.
However, getting rid of such distractions really does wonders for your productivity.
David
You’ve got a second monitor for email? WHAT A GOOD IDEA!
(only joking – I think).
)
Hi David,
Hey – there’s so much useful information here! I really hope that the people who need this info, take notice and do something about it.
I think if most people instigated HALF of the useful stuff you’ve got here, they save themselves an hour a day minimum.
Got to comment on the images – fantastic!
“And to think, I did all that, I may I say, not in a shy way, Oh no, oh no not me, I did it Mmmyyyy…Waayyyy”
Andrew.
Hi Andrew,
That’s another thumbs up for the images. I like putting them into list based articles, it helps break up the text and makes it a bit more interesting.
The six methods in here can literally save HOURS of wasted time every day. I put this blog post together and got all the images sorted out in just under an hour, when normally it would have taken me 2 or 3 with the distractions I used to surround myself with.
David
David,
Your site looks AMAZING… and that’s not just me puffing smoke.
I was trying to achieve a very clean and simplistic site like this, but never came as close or as great as yours.
Hands down, you are the man!!
And for only being up for less than two months, you definitely know what’s going on!
I will be checking back ALL THE TIME, and that’s no lie!
Talk soon, my friend.
Joe Fier
Hi Joe,
Thanks for the kind words. Much appreciated.
I have found that paid blog themes are the way to go if you want a really professional look. Some of the free themes are OK but in my experience they are just missing that certain something.
You are welcome here any time my friend and of course I will be checking on what you are up to as well. Who knows, there could be a JV somewhere down the line…
David
Hi David,
This is a wonderful post & I, too just love pictures that you’ve chosen. I must reiterate what Sean said about the email… when you are in the habit of checking email every few minutes, it’s going to take awhile to break that nasty addiction. I am on my way, one step at a time! I will see YOU at the top, David!
All the best,
Joann
Hi Joann,
Thank you for the kind words.
I agree. Email has become a necessary evil and we are all guilty of being hooked up to it at every moment when we are on the PC.
Like all habits they are tough to break but you will be so much better for it when you limit yourself to checking and dealing with the messages a couple of times per day.
David
Hey David!
Amazing site! Clean, informative, full of value – and really looks the business!
Great posts too – full of great information that we can all use.
Bookmarked and will be visiting regularly!
Iain.
David you are so dam professional I hate you LOL. when you are the big man can I be part of your team?? I can be the one that answers all the emails and passes the personal ones to your private inbox like Alex has Helen to do that job.
David You know I would be the first choice.
Thanks for popping over to my place again my friend.
speak soon yeah.
cheers
Marcus
ps sorry not been in touch to much I am getting kinda busy!!
Hi Marcus,
It would be an honour to work alongside you in whatever capacity.
I can see you are busy over at your blog. It will be a great source of inspiration for everyone partaking in the course, whether they are newbies or a bit more experienced.
Keep up the good work my friend and I am sure we will be doing a lot together over the coming months.
David
Hey David,
Some great tips there, I like the way you have included images as well.
Very nice blog you’ve got here, a lot of good info.
I’ll stop by again soon, take care.
Paul.
Hey Dave,
Great post, really important information you have given here that can really make or break your business. It is so easy to get rapped up doing unproductive things and at the end of the day you can sit in front of your computer for 12 hours and get very little done.
It’s so important to get yourself organized and work productively, and you have given some excellent helping points.
Thanks for sharing.
Speak soon.
Paul
Hi Paul,
I have been guilty of the 12 hour days and even after all that you STILL feel as though nothing has got done. It’s really frustrating and difficult to see how exactly you are still no better off than when you logged in bright and early in the morning!
However, organisation and getting rid of the multitude of distractions which seek to ruin your business can see you get more in one day than your normally would in an entire week.
David
Hey David,
This is awesome advice! I often feel enslaved to my computer as well! I definitely know the feeling. I am a full time internet marketer and I work so much longer hours than anyone I have met. At least in the beginning, it is not easy. I really need to take some of your advice and find some ways to free up time for myself. Awesome article, love the pictures.
I must say, your blog is so damn professional looking! You should have had Alex critique it, you’d have everyone praising how great your blog is, including Alex.
Matt
Hi Matt,
Thank you for the kind words, I really appreciate it.
I doubt I would ever be happy to do just 2-3 hours of even really productive work per day because I’d always think there is more I should be doing, but I’d rather do a 6 hour day of really intensive, productive work than idly wasting 12 hours getting nothing done at all.
I wanted to speak with Alex on Thursday but I had a pounding headache and had to go to bed. Hopefully I’ll get a chance next time and by then this blog should be even better!
David
Great information David. These are tips that all of us could use and live by. I know I catch myself doing mundane tasks such as checking e-mails. I have just recently just installed a toolbar designed by my isp that lets me know which e-mails are coming thru my various accounts. If it is not business related they are now checked once a day. This eliminates me from wasting time on idle chit chat
Hi Rodney,
This sounds like a great idea and one which will probably save you HOURS every week.
Imagine all that extra productive stuff you will be able to get done in that time!
David
Super post and I love your use of pictures.
Hey David,
I like the layout of your blog. Looks nice and clean!
Talk soon!
Glenn
I had to stop reading after the first couple of tips. I am going to have a hard time getting focused and turning off the distractions. After all, if I do those things I might have to do some real work!
All kidding aside, Great post. These are definitely things that we need to do to be successful.
Bob
Hi Bob,
As fun as working on internet marketing stuff can be, unfortunately the downside is there IS actually some work involved, contrary to popular belief!
Switching off the distractions is a tough habit to break, since I have been surrounded by and used to them for the past few years while working online full time but I am getting better at it!
David
Hey David,
Really great and interesting topic, I am looking through implementing all of this into my business to be more productive so thanks so much for this Great topic
Yours
Mohamed Hammad
Hi David,
I couldn’t agree more. I started doing most of the things you mention above after module one fo Alex Jeffreys first coaching program. The results were incredible. I easily tripled my productivity. Things like Twitter and email have to be strictly controlled.
Skype and Messenger need to be turned off when you are working. You will get the best results when you adhere to a schedule and you need to schedule everything. Flights of fancy will cost you precious time.
I work a full time job and have a family. That does not leave much time for working on my internet biz so I have to make every second count. The only way to do that is through planning.
Great post!
JT
Hi JT,
Thanks for the comment. I agree entirely. I am so used to working with a plethora of distractions around me switching them off has been difficult, but the results are astounding.
David
Hi David,
Great article, I came and read it after you tweeted about it. I think I was most probably drawn to it as I am at a point where I am looking at most of the stuff you mention here. You’ve given me food for thought and some great tips about increasing my productivity. I especially liked the tip about getting a countdown timer, as sometimes I need a bit of “virtual” deadline pressure too!!
Right, well I’d better stop procrastinating any longer by writing this on here, time to crack on….!!
Fiona
Hi Fiona,
Thank you for dropping by! The countdown timer is an incredible piece of productivity kit!
It’s as though you are competing against yourself to get the task done! I use it when writing blog posts and manage to get done in one hour what would normally take me two or three!
David
Great post! The pictures are entertaining.
Without a doubt, time is really essential and each second should be utilize for growth.
Time management is a vital factor to get things done efficiently.
However, there are times I get too FOCUS, I forget about time– the ending? 1/3 project is only finished. I guess a little reminder gets you back to your goal.
Thanks for these invaluable methods.
Hi Alex,
Time management has become so important to me after spending months online with no real direction. I am glad you enjoyed the post.
David
Dave,
Your posts are just getting more and more full of content, and they look so professional too.. damn
Time management is one of the most important skills to master, we all have the same amount of time in a day (well mostly), its what you do with it that matters, important to take lots of breaks too, otherwise you become a lot less effective. Try to work less and achieve more.
Keep up the good work…. better go, time is money… LOL
Hi Rob,
Thank you for the kind words about my blog. I try to be as professional as possible, haha!
Working less? Achieving more?
That sounds like a plan but at the moment I seem to be working non stop trying to get my business moving forward!
David
Twitter: GazzMan
August 5, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Hi David,
I just zapped over here from the MWA2.0 forum and I concur with your assessment of the “situation” you spoke about back there.
Spelling errors, syntax all over the place, vague. Not the sort of comment that I would like.
I know of one other fellow from the MWA1.0 who started this caper and, as a consequence, I haven’t visited his blog since. I just don’t see the point.
At least when you get a comment from me you will KNOW it is definitely from me – not some two-bob comment clone. Or should I say clown?
Gary Simpson