Are you getting distracted too?

Before I was in business on my own, I didn’t pay attention to distraction. Yes, I must have gotten distracted but it didn’t have a big impact on me or my work.

Then I started my own business and realized how big of an impact distraction can have on your business. For one, you don’t get the things done that you want.

You might be planning a new program or service, or you have this huge project you want to work on but it’s just not getting anywhere. You feel like you work on it all day long, day in and day out, but the parts are not moving further along. You wonder why? Because you are distracted.

Maybe you are afraid of the consequences – good or bad – that the end of the project will have on your business. Or you’re afraid that the launch is not making you the money you expected. But if we never finish the project, we’ll never find out how successful we can actually be, right?

The best way I get focused again is taking a break. I get up, walk around, get a coffee or some fresh air. Then I sit down with a notepad and write down everything that is going on in my mind…projects I haven’t finished, personal things I need to get done and things that worry me right at this moment.

Then I make a list of the 3 things that I need to get done in the next hour or two. I also set aside a bit of time to go through my other to-do list and make sure that I have other important things crossed off my list by the end of the day. Usually it helps me to get the little things that are constantly on my mind done first, then I have more space in my mind to focus on the big project.

Find a way that works for you. Don’t hesitate to stop in your tracks and take a minute to re-focus. Usually, when you have too many things going on at the same time, is when your brain starts to get blurry. Take a step back – REFOCUS, then keep going.

Create Space for New Ideas in 2010

What is Biz-Life Balance? We've all heard of Work-Life Balance - but in my opinion it's even more important to keep a healthy balance when you have your own business. How many times have you told yourself that you have to change something in the way you work in and on your business so that you are not exhausted all the time, and have time for family and friends or your hobbies, travels and other things?

So for the next few months I am going to write about biz-life balance and show you ways that I have used to create more space for fun things. I will also touch on things that you might have to change in your mindset to be able to live a life you really want to life - every day.

In order to start changing the way you go about your business and life, I'd like to invite you to do the first step with me: De-cluttering from 200: Create Space for New Ideas!

De-clutter Your Business
Think about it for a minute. What would have to happen in your business so that you can take more time out of your day to do what you love to do, beside working? Do you have regular time off that you dedicate to yourself and is it easy for you to commit to that time?

You see, for a long time, I ignored those “blocked off” times in my calendar. If it said, “Monday, 2pm: Work on my business”, 2pm came and went and I didn’t stop doing what I was doing to dedicate that time to work on my business. Does this sound familiar to you?

What are things that you wanted to implement in your business that you never did?

GET INTO ACTION
I invite you to de-clutter your business from 2009 and start fresh.
Decide on 3 things you want to clean up or out in your business. (You can de-clutter as many things as you like, but start with three to get the ball rolling).

Can’t think of any right now? Let me help you with some ideas:

Office / Desk
This is the most common one: De-clutter your desk and make room for new ideas; store 2009 files away, throw notes that you haven’t looked at in 6 mts away or schedule a time to look at it and do something with it. If your financial Year End is Dec. 31, make a list of what you need to compile, then pile it all up and send the files to the bookkeeper/ accountant: MOVE IT OUT OF YOUR WAY.

Habits
Do you spend a lot of time on email? Do you catch yourself checking every 5-10 min if an email arrived in your inbox that you "have to" respond to right away? Or are you looking at old ones thinking of what to do with it, you open it, you start reading and then get distracted? In order to be efficient, keep checking emails to a few times a day! I know it's not easy, and it takes discipline to do it but you'll feel so much more productive if you implement this step. How about surfing the internet, or spending time in social networking? Use time wisely online, or you could be "wasting" useful hours every day.

Marketing
Is there something in your marketing that doesn't get you results? And / or an activity that you hate doing and doesn't make a big difference in your business? Get rid of it. Don't spend endless time on things that you think you should be doing but you neither enjoy or bring you benefits.

What are your three things you decide to “de-clutter” from your business today and create space for in 2010? Send me your list!

Here is mine:
1. De-clutter desk and files from 2009 and store them away (or throw them out)! DONE
2. De-clutter my calendar and add more "me-time" to each day! DONE
3. Cut down on receiving email newsletters and delete the ones that I never read, and there were a ton of them! HALF WAY DONE

Once you've done the first 3, you can apply it to more things. Think about things you do or have in your home or business that you no longer need, or are not getting you results or bring down your energy. Move them out of your way and see how you feel. Need help with this? Let me know, contact me here