There are so many demands on our time, especially when we work from home that sometimes we end up working on the wrong priorities without even knowing it!
You have both work and family commitments to contend with, so it’s understandable that occasionally we find ourselves disappointed over how little work we’ve completed or stressed over the lack of progress on certain high priority tasks.
Often though, these stresses and disappointments can be boiled down to working on the wrong priorities. With so much emphasis on small and solo entrepreneurs actually building a successful business, your focus can turn to how much money you’re making or how many clients you have and it can be all too easy to lose sight of what YOU consider high priority.
Know what’s important to you
It’s important that you know what your own personal and business values, as well as your priorities are. You can then check that your business and personal values aren’t clashing. For example, you may want to work 6 hours a day, 3 days a week, so you can spend time on your hobbies. However, you may have a financial priority to earn a wage that dictates working full-time hours. You’ll need to make a decision over which is more important to you and what amendments you can make to your priorities.
Knowing what is important for you also means you’ll be able to check in with your values and priorities, BEFORE you take on any new task, to check it actually fits in with what’s important for you.
Factor in regular review sessions
You NEED to factor in regular review sessions, to confirm that you’re working on those priorities that are important to you. For example, your main priority may be to spend 2-3 days a week with your family. You have regular clients already, but have the option to take on several more clients what’s more important to you? These review sessions also give you an opportunity to check that you’re actually taking on tasks that you want to take on not just because you feel you have to.
Check your to do list
It’s all too easy to write a task list, based on your clients needs and wants but neglecting yours! Make sure you’re blocking out time for those things that are important to you otherwise you may start to get demotivated and your productivity will drop. Dedicate CEO time every week for your business. A lot of members of my VA Membership – use our co-working sessions as their dedicated CEO time each week.
Prioritise your task list
Make sure your task list is prioritised, otherwise you’ll end up picking out the easy tasks or those with instant gratification, and avoiding those that are more difficult or take longer to come to fruition. Look to work on the hardest tasks earlier in the day, when you’re at your most alert but also include a mixture of your clients tasks AND your tasks on your list.
Get focused
Stop trying to multitask throughout your day and look to focus on one task at a time instead. Block out a chunk of time for each task whether it is the most important priority on your list or the lowest. You cannot hope to honour your values and priorities, if you’re not getting focused on them AND everything else you do.
Finally, the only other thing you need to remember is to say no! Stop taking on tasks that don’t honour your values. Outsource tasks that aren’t important to you and don’t be afraid to say no to clients you don’t want to work with and start saying yes to living, breathing and working with your priorities and values!
How do you stay focused on your priorities and values – how do you ensure that you are working on the wrong priorities?? Did you find these tips useful in getting clear on your priorities, or are there steps you take that you feel are more important? Why not share your thoughts in the comments box below.
When you’re ready to grow or scale your VA business I can help you inside the VA Membership. It’s packed full of social media ideas to get you started.
The VA Membership is the only UK VA business accelerator that’s designed specifically to help you build and grow your VA business, to help you create recurring revenue and consistent growth through regular and consistent action. With over 100+ hours of courses, weekly co-working sessions, weekly group coaching calls, a private support group and the ability to pay as you go – when you’re ready to grow or scale your business online, I can help you inside the VA.Membership.