It seems that some entrepreneurs have more time than others to get things done. Physically, we all have the same amount of time allotted each day to run our business. The amount of time that we have is as much psychological as it is physical. Whether or not we have a staff working for us, a group of virtual assistants performing menial tasks from the other side of the world, or we do it all by ourselves, it seems to make no difference. Every entrepreneur has a subconscious hour of the day that turns into that stress moment when it seems that the day is almost over. For me, it used to be 11:00 AM. Although the traditional work day ends at 5:00 PM, those extra six hours that I had left did not seem like enough. After that time, phone calls with clients, networking events, and deadlines become more burdensome. I call this the “stop threshold” time. It occurs at a different hour for every entrepreneur.
When we stop to think about our subconscious mind and how it quietly speaks to us, we can sometimes realize what it is saying to us. Most people think that the subconscious mind is this invisible entity that cannot be changed, but the more aware of it we become, the easier it is to change and understand. I realize that my stop threshold time comes from my subconscious. I have decided to try and see my stop threshold time from the opposite viewpoint. Instead of telling myself that my day is almost over at 11:00, I have shifted my way of thinking. Now, no matter what time it is, I always tell myself that there is more time in the day. The goal is to eliminate the stop threshold time altogether, because it hinders our productivity as business owners. Now, those six hours to me feel like another entire day to get things done. It is less stressful and I feel more productive. Getting to this point is not quick and easy. Again, we are changing our subconscious mind and that takes time, but the sooner and more constantly we do it, the faster the days start to stretch instead of fly by.
Another secret that has helped me accomplish more each day is what I call “pre-scheduled interruptions”. Since most interruptions are unexpected, they cut into our productivity at times when we least expect. This lowers our productivity. If you are a business owner who juggles many projects, you know what it is like when even a 60 second phone call breaks our concentration. With pre-scheduled interruptions, we have a time scheduled for everything and that includes phone calls with clients and reading emails.
- List item Start a new spreadsheet and add a row for each hour of the work day.
- Write down how that hour will be utilized. Include at least one or two hours for each client project.
- Select one hour when you will make and return phone calls, such as 10:30 AM for example. When someone calls you, tell them that you will call them back between 10:30 and 11:30. Do not promise a specific minute when you will call. Keep it open to any minute within that hour.
This will help you get more tasks accomplished and the productivity will be more prevalent.
