Starting a business is an extremely challenging undertaking, no successful business owner will deny that. There are a lot of obstacles that present themselves when going through the process of getting a business started. However, if you manage your time correctly, you will be far better equipped to handle those challenges.
If you ask any successful internet marketer or business professional, they will tell you the same thing; you need to stay focused on the core tasks needed build your business. Don’t let yourself get caught up in bookkeeping, answering phones, follow-up calls, replying to customer service emails, or any number of other mundane tasks that could easily be outsourced to someone else.
If you need a particular task performed on a daily basis that isn’t actually building your business or making you money, or something you must do yourself, then you should consider hiring someone to do it for you. For example, if you spend a lot of time managing your businesses Facebook page or following up with prospects, consider bringing someone on to do that for you.
However, when outsourcing, or hiring, be very careful about who you hire. Go through the same process that large corporations use to make sure your prospective employee’s have good references and the right skills to get the job done for you.
By outsourcing your “time sucking” tasks, you give yourself more time to focus on the more important parts of running your business. You should be spending your time building a solid marketing strategy, closing clients, handling deals, overseeing operations, and so on. Let your assistants and outsourcers worry about the other stuff.
It is also very important to remove distractions from your day, especially if you are working at home. If you have started your business from your home office make sure you have a scheduled work time when everyone leaves you alone, and set aside a space where you will not be distracted by anything.
Let your family and friends know that when you are in your office (or dedicated work space) it is the same as being away at a job. You can’t stop business to hang out with them or fix their minor problems, just like you wouldn’t be able to leave work for those reasons if you had a regular job.
You should also be keeping track of all your online activities when you are working. The internet is full of distractions and it is very easy to lose yourself in all sorts of different things for hours at a time without even realizing it. You might feel like you are working because you are sitting at your computer doing stuff all day, but if those things aren’t directly helping your business then you are wasting time.
By keeping the focus on your business goals and the overall path to success while avoiding distractions, you will find that you are able to get much more done each day. The more focused work you are able to complete the better your business will do in the long run. That means more money in your bank account and a better future ahead of you!