Feeling overwhelmed by all the hats you have to wear as a solo entrepreneur, but not interested in building a team or spending thousands of dollars on outsourcing? Let's go over some productivity hacks that entrepreneurs can use to get more done in less time, while still proudly wearing their DIY hat.
Tip 1: Prioritize your tasks
When you sit down and look at your long to-do list, ask yourself:
- Does this really have to happen today? Or can it be pushed to tomorrow?
- If it can be pushed to tomorrow, does it really have to happen at all?
- Is this going to move the needle in my business or help me get closer to my goals?
- What's the worst thing that would happen if this task didn't get done today?
There's no point doing a task quickly, if it isn't helping grow your business. Prioritising what will actually be a profit generating tasks will help you be more productive. A lot of the time we put things on our to do list, and really, they probably don't need to there.
Tip 2: Focus on one thing at a time
Most of the tasks that we do in our business as entrepreneurs can be categorized. 4 common areas are:
- admin tasks (e.g. managing books, inbox management)
- sales & marketing tasks (e.g. creating IG content)
- client work or customer service tasks (e.g. designing a client website if you were a designer)
- product development tasks (e.g. goal setting, creating a new offer)
Try grouping similar tasks together to not only save time and mental energy, but also encourage yourself to tap into a flow state.
As an example week it could look like:
- Starting each day with a 2 hour batch of a category (e.g. Monday for marketing, Tuesday & Thursday for client work and Wednesday for product development)
- Finish the day with clearing out your emails
When you can batch like tasks together, you will have a more productive week.
Tip 3: Automate whenever and wherever you can
If a task is done more than once, you should have an automation or a system to support it.
Tools like Zapier are great to automate things in your business that are repeated tasks. For example, you could automate handling failed payments, delivering digital products, publishing content or sending client forms.
You may want to add personal touches to things, so even if you don't fully automate, it's worth having system still. For example, email templates for handling different situations in your business.
By automating tasks, you are able to put effort into tasks that actually do require you and your personal touch.
Tip 4: Work in small bursts
Discovering the Pomodoro Technique was a huge productivity hack that worked for me. This is a system where you work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break.
The key here is to make sure you actually take those breaks. Step outside with the dog, make a coffee, refill your water bottle, or just stand up and dance around. It helps you refresh your mind and body, so you can get back to work.
Tip 5: Use shortcuts and tools
So many of your fellow genius entrepreneurs are out there creating shortcuts FOR you that will help you get things done in way less time. Use them!
Investing in these shortcuts often costs a lot less than outsourcing but saves you time. Templates are my favorite kind of productivity shortcut - whether it's copy templates, design templates, Canva templates, whatever!
Buzzworthy Case Studies Template
Your secret ingredient to writing engaging, “I-can’t-wait-to-hire-this-person”-worthy case studies without needing to interview past clients.
Looking for more copy tips?
If you’re wanting to refine your messaging and improve your opt-in page, check out the below
How to update website content: a step-by-step guide for business owners
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Website Copy: 4 Common Mistakes to Avoid and How to Fix Them >
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