Entrepreneur! Here are 7 steps to a more productive

7 Steps To A More Productive You!

Araceli Gonzalez
BeProductiveToday.com

© 2011. All Rights Reserved. Araceli Gonzalez

Today’s Overview

 The 7 Steps to a more productive you!

 The action steps to take to make the changes.

 Have an open mind to embrace productivity.


About Me…

I’m a Business Productivity Expert. I help passionate professionals
and Entrepreneurs to:
• Achieve more by working less
• Streamline systems to create efficiency and growth
• Find their unique roadmap to productivity

What are my beliefs?

• Productivity is the key to success
• Prioritization is a must!
• A Balanced Lifestyle makes us complete- productivity is the
fast track!


What can Productivity do for you?

• Productivity can give you peace of mind
• Productivity can give you clarity
• Productivity can fortify relationships
• Productivity can multiply your revenue
• Productivity can stretch your mind to new possibilities
• And so much more…


Myths About Productivity
 Activity means productivity.

 Time is Money. Money is cyclical. Time is something you
cannot get more of, a one-way street. Therefore, treat time
as a special commodity, not as money.

 Work hard to achieve more.

 Busy equals productivity. Feeling busy or “being” busy is
usually the consequence of lack of focus.


Step 1: Embrace Personal Responsibility
You are solely responsible for the way you spend your time.

• Blaming others for your lack of time does not give you more

• Unable to take control of your day

• Unable to meet own expectations


Your Action Steps:

1. Suggest a time that works for you.

2. If need be, practice saying no!
 Say ‘no’ with kindness ~ Three-Step Process
 Acknowledge request
 Ask questions
 Negotiate alternatives


Step 2: Identify your Time Busters
• Activities you constantly repeat that are not accounted for in
your calendar

•Time Busters are things that constantly grab your attention away
from your main focus

• Negative vs. Positive distractions


Information Overload
 Having access to more data than you can consume in a
lifetime
 The Univ. of So CA recently found we consume an
equivalent of 174 newspapers a day and produce 6.
 “It’s not information overload. It’s filter failure.” ~ Clay
Shirky

 How to build better filters
 Email begets email
 Streamline your processes
 Designate times for information gathering


Your Action Steps For Identifying Time Busters.

1. Identify activities you currently do that are not in your to-do
list or calendar
2. Divide the activities into two sections: Positive and
Negative Distractions
3. Make a conscious effort not to repeat the negative
activities.
4. Include the positive activities that are beneficial to you- in
your to-do list.


Step 3: Create An Action Plan
•You need to know where you are going before you can get
there.

•Mapping out your action plan for the next two weeks can give
you your daily purpose (your to-do list).

•Working without a plan is depleting to your efforts and sets you
back to unproductive activities.


How your Master Plan works for you

Creates your
to-do list

Plan of
Action

Keeps you Gives you
focused purpose


Your Action Steps for Creating an Action Plan

• Reserve a time slot (I do three hours) at the end of the
week to Map out the next week.

• Take the tasks for the week and divide them into your
working days of the week.

• If you feel daring, instead of weekly plans of actions- do a
monthly plan instead!


Step 4: Budget & track your time
• Budgeting your time = allotting the total time it takes to
complete one task

• You may be budgeting the incorrect amount of time for your
tasks.

• As part of your scheduling process, you must include the real
time it takes to complete a task as well as the extras.


Your Action Steps For Budgeting Your Time

1. Plan your next day based on how long it takes to complete
tasks vs. the predetermined hour or half hour. Add all the
hours it takes to accomplish your tasks.
2. Once you add the time it takes to complete, do not book
more than you want to work.
3. Include travel, prep or transition time from one item to
another.
4. Conglomerate similar things back to back.
5. Only schedule a valid amount of hours in the day.
6. Leave room for the unexpected.


Step 5: Create an effective to-do list

• Creating an effective to-do list is a roadmap that guarantees
success.

• Doing a correct to-do list can prevent the panic attacks and
frustrations of overwhelm.

• If you have a to-do list, you can gladly deny or turn away any
unnecessary distractions.


Your Action Steps To Creating Your To-Do List

1. Go back to the budget exercise and select the correct time
for the activities you have to accomplish.
2. Re-visit the weekly action plan and make sure you have
accrued the correct amount of time for each.
3. Conglomerate all the activities that go together.
4. Calculate the amount of time you want to work
5. Input in your daily calendar and create your to-do list.


Step 6: Prioritize for Success
• Based on a recent study, you probably have over 300 hours
of projects pending (to read, to finish, to start)

• It never ends & you may never get caught up

• Result: Stop doing things!

• Set Correct Priorities by using the 80/20 Rule

• Eat the frog first


Your Action Steps For Prioritization

• If you have ten things to do, select the top two.

• Out of the two, finish one first- then move on.

• Work on larger projects first (small things multiply)


Step 7: Cease To Multitask
 According to neuro scientific research, the human brain
cannot focus on more than one thing at a time
 Stanford University study of heavy and light multi-taskers

 Task switching, not multitasking

 Fast is not better - it merely takes more effort


This is Your Brain While Multitasking


Action Step To Cease Multitasking:

 For 30 minutes, concentrate on one project at a time.

 If need to work on something else, cease the 1st project and
move on to the other.

 Breakdown larger projects into smaller chunks to allow for
better concentration.


Bonus Step: Breathe

To Disconnect- To take a moment and allow your mind to stop turning so
fast!
Do you ever feel like your head will explode?
Do you struggle to focus on tasks because you just cant give more of
yourself?
Its time to breathe!

Facts:
1. Your body sends you signals that its tired. It may manifest as
frustrations, headaches, exhaustion.
2. Attempting to work thru those signals (ignoring them) have
extremely negative results.
3. Listen to your body!


Your Action Steps:

• As soon as you feel the sign that says “I need a break” take
one.

• Schedule your break times in advance.

• Make it a priority to recharge.

• Do simple sitting breathing exercises to calm the mind.


Your BIG Action Step:

 Find your inspiration!

 Implement the 7 steps so you can become more
productive.

 Resources in the packet in front of you.

 Seek support. Find resources at
www.BeProductiveToday.com
 Blog
 Small Business Productivity Kit
 Free Teleclasses and virtual Events


THANK YOU!

 For your time
 For your positive energy
 For joining me today 

If you have questions, or wish to share your thoughts, please
email me! araceli@beproductivetoday.com

Make it a productive day!


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