How to Get More Work Done Without Working Any Extra Hours

How to Get More Work Done Without Working Any Extra Hours

It is indeed possible to get more work done without working the extra dreaded hours.  If you’ve been spending hour after hour working working at home with no results, you’re probably overdue for a time management makeover.

There are time wasters that we need to avoid which dwindles away precious time and hinders our “profitable progress.” Lack of planning and organization is another key factor that causes us to work harder and produce very little results.

Here’s are 7 Steps to helping you get more work done without working any extra hours…

1.  Determine Your Priorities

Many times the biggest problem we have is not separating our top priorities from activities that are simply just time wasters.

Jot down everything that you believe must be done in your home business. Include all aspects such as marketing, customer service, shipping, creating newsletters, followups, etc.

Now, take a closer inspection. Can anything be eliminated or outsourced?  Perhaps you’re spending hours checking and reading your email. Eliminate the number of times you check your email to only three times each day and create files to store email that can be attended to at a later scheduled time.

If you’re spending hours posting ads on free classified sites, determine if you’re having any real results from this activity.  Eliminate marketing methods that show no positive results.

2.  Write Out a Quick Action Plan

After you’ve determined what exactly your priorities should be, write out a simple action plan to follow daily. If time is very limited, you may have to focus on a different area of  your home business each day.

Make  extra action plans for different occasions.  What kind of things could you accomplish while traveling?  How about while sitting in the doctor’s office waiting for your appointment?  What action can be taken if your website has gone down? If your hosting  company is working on the matter, you could be ready with your backup action plan for some offline work for your home business.

3.  Organize Your Work Area

Organization is the key to gaining more time and freedom. Those who lack in planning and organization become slaves to working their home business after hours, weekends, holidays, etc.

Organize your work area to save hours of wasted time hunting for items at the last minute. Create file folders on your computer that make it super simple to locate documents and downloads for your home business.  Create customized folders for newsletters, articles, ebooks, reports, marketing information, events.

Keep your calendar nearby. Watch your calendar for upcoming family events and holidays so that you can plan to work ahead, in order to schedule time off.

Use Notepad to write special links, affiliate links, or articles that you’re working on.  Save copies in one of your file folders and upload backup copies to store in your inbox online. If you’re working from another location, you can access this file online by logging into your email management account. (I use inbox.com that allows me to mange my email and upload files to save).

4.  Set Specific Goals to Achieve

Fast progress rarely happens when you haven’t written down specific goals you need to accomplish. Write goals that are geared toward accomplishing your top priorities.

Make sure your goals are achievable, otherwise you’ll soon become discouraged and give up.  In fact, make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to achieve your goals. If you finish early, tack on a couple of extra goals to reach before the end of the day.

Working to achieve reasonable goals helps you to accomplish more and feel successful with each progressive step forward that you’ve made.

5.  Avoid Distractions and Time Wasters

There are many distractions while working online. I would have to say social sites and habitual email checks are two distractions that will keep you from getting more work done.

Reading information can become time wasters and distractions as well. Becoming obsessive in learning everything possible about your home business often results in “information overload”.  Information overload happens easily and renders you motionless. Without a doubt it can become a big distraction that will hinder your progress.

It’s great to learn all about  your home business and all the successful marketing tactics, but once you’ve learned many of the basics, it’s time to take some A.C.T.I.O.N.  Refer back to your action plan and put your best foot forward and get to work.

6.  Outsource Whatever You Can’t Reasonably Do

Outsourcing is the online marketers avenue to getting more done and making more money. It just makes sense to outsource work that you find extremely difficult or lack the ability to do. Some examples may be creating graphics for your site, installing new software programs, creating videos, audios, transcribing audio to readable documents, etc.

If you just can’t afford to outsource anything, see if you can barter or exchange services. For example, if you’re good at writing and creating articles, see if you can exchange services with someone who is well-equipped in other areas where you need help.

7.  Reward Your Accomplishments

Reward yourself and you will jump higher and higher to achieve more.  Which is more desirable? Simply working for “$20“…or working for “$20 and a Bonus“?  We love bonuses and incentives! Many companies offer their employees incentives because they know the results from doing so prove more productive for their company.

Just because you work a home business doesn’t mean you should have to do without bonuses.  Create your own incentives and bonuses. You’ll have the same positive results!

You can positively work smarter without working harder. Just follow the steps above and you’ll soon find yourself getting more work done and enjoying more time with your family.  For greater results and indepth study, I highly recommend Homepreneur Habits: How to Run a Successful Home Business, a 59-page report that will help you manage your home business successfully.

Use this content on your blog or newsletter by including my bio below:

Rhonda White helps Work at Home Moms Learn to Market their Home Business.
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