What’s the Key to Getting Things Done?

Simplify Your Small Business Podcast

Whether it’s content strategy, public relations, marketing, or laundry, it’s time to stop being overwhelmed! I don’t know about you, but since September started, things have really picked up with work. My “To Do” list is flowing onto several pages of new-business activities, content-strategy plans, SEO blogs, public relations, and more. And this doesn’t even include all of the “outside-of-work” things that need to get finished (laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, working out, etc.). Everyone is back to school and ready to work. If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed right now, I have a few tips to share that always help me… so here are… 3 Simple Ways to Get Things Done and Reduce Stress Instead of running around and going from one activity to the next, stop for a moment. Take a breath and focus. What needs to be accomplished right away? What needs to be finished by tomorrow, week’s end, and month end? If you just take some time to look at your true priorities, you’ll know which deadlines are looming and what REALLY needs to be accomplished right away. Once you take a moment to figure out your priorities, write down your action plan. And it doesn’t need to be a formatted document or take a long time. Just review your priorities and figure out how you are going to take care of each one in the time you have. Write down what you need to do with the appropriate deadlines, and then follow your plan! Get Help. Oh no! You look at your priorities and realize why you are overwhelmed. There is no possible way you can get everything done on schedule. This is when you seek help. While you may think it will take you more time to train someone than to just do the work yourself, think again. If you take the time now to find and train an assistant, think about how much effort, time and stress you’ll save in the future if you have someone ready to help you. And I’m sure there are many administrative tasks that you can easily hand-off to a trained, virtual assistant such as working with a database, making calls, research, and more. Plus, there are inexpensive services out there with people ready to help you. Check out various online sites like Upwork and others for “virtual assistants.” You’ll be surprised at what is available. Take Back Your Sanity. The holidays are on their way, and if you feel overwhelmed now, just wait. It’s going to get ugly… unless you take care of your schedule now. Stop and focus on what you really need to accomplish, figure out how you are going to finish your responsibilities on schedule and then actually do the work. And if you still feel overwhelmed, get help. You can control your workload and meet your deadlines. It’s a matter of taking a breath, focusing on what really matters and reaching out for help when necessary. Now, go look at your schedule and get organized! Then, you can enjoy all of the fun holidays ahead. What are you going to do today to focus on your priorities?