The Best Thing I Do as a Business Owner

About every 3 months I put myself through a 2-step process that clarifies my thinking, filters out stress and increases my productivity. The 2 steps are simple, free and I highly recommend them. The steps are this:

1. I write down my 3 main business goals for the next 12 months.

2. I rewrite them, individually, and then create a to-do list under them.

I have a robust business strategy I created after meeting for 2 days with a business coach. That strategy will keep me on track for the next 5 years.

Nevertheless, the fog creeps in.

I get a call and somebody wants me to endorse a book or a non-profit wants some help clarifying their brand and pretty soon I forget what my priorities were. Life suddenly feels confusing and I’m living in a fog.

A fog is no good, especially if you’re a leader. People need you to have clarity, to know what the priorities are, to know where they fit in the mission and to be encouraged and reminded all the time. If you and I, as leaders, are living in a fog, so is everybody else.

So, every few months (not on schedule, more like whenever the fog sets in) I step over to the white board and clarify everything I’m doing. Amazingly, when I’m done, life no longer feels complicated and all goals seem reasonable.

The fog lifts.

I’ve been asked before why I only focus on 3 main projects at a time. The truth is we are likely only going to accomplish 3 big projects next year. Once one of them is done, I’m free to add another.

If I have 4 or 5 it will be harder to know which one is most important. I recommend focusing on 3 and sticking to them until they are completely done.

My 3 projects are listed on a large white board in my office, right behind a table where I sit to meet with people. I like to have them listed there because they’re a constant reminder of what I’m trying to get done.

I’ve created visible accountability.

If I’m in a meeting in which we aren’t advancing those goals, I question the importance of the meeting (it’s often important, but at least I have a filter that causes me to question).

If you want more help organizing your time or your life, check out the productivity schedule I created that helps me, as a creative person, stay on track and on vision. It’s here and it’s available with Creating Your Life Plan.

The Best Thing I Do as a Business Owner is a post from: Storyline Blog