Women Entrepreneur Challenges - Top 8 Tips to Get More Done for Your Business in Less Time

Many women entrepreneurs struggle to keep their business afloat while juggling multiple work/life responsibilities. The to-dos are endless, and time limited. There isn't enough of you to go around, as you attempt to be all things, at all times. Managing your home office presents its own unique challenges as household tasks and family needs often crowd your ability to devote consistent time and energy toward your business. Without a game plan to effectively deal with these competing interests, stress, frustration, and ultimately stagnation of your business is inevitable. It is important to understand how to work smarter within your household to maintain momentum, and keep your business thriving.

Here are some PROVEN tips that produce results:

Carve out the time & stick to it

Let's face it, life moves quickly with a busy household. As women business owners, it is essential to become masters of how we spend our time. Start by identifying timeframes that you can commit to consistently. This establishes a rhythm and flow that is good not only for your business, but also your household. Be certain to also choose windows of time when your energy level will allow you to do your best work. Schedule this time on your planner and protect it.

Set goals and make a plan

Every minute matters...waste not, want not. To maximize results, it is essential to decide beforehand, what you will do and how you will do it. I can't tell you the number of times I've "wasted" work time simply because I didn't have a goal for what I wanted to accomplish, and an action plan to make it happen. Be realistic and specific about what you can achieve given the time you have. Get really clear on the objectives you have set forth for the time available to you...nothing more, nothing less.

Prioritize

Sometimes when you are working on your business, you may feel like you are spinning your wheels and getting nowhere fast. Create a to-do list and prioritize it. Often times it can be difficult to discern where to start because all the to-dos look equally important. Start with the BIG stuff - that is those tasks that have the greatest value and impact on the business now. By focusing on these areas first, you will achieve tangible results more quickly.

Stop multi-tasking

As women, we are MASTERS at multi-tasking. However, the time you have set aside for your business is just for that purpose exclusively. The laundry and other household tasks will just have to wait! Pulling yourself in too many directions dilute your energy and efforts toward achieving your goals. I know this is something many of us have to unlearn, but in doing this, I promise you will be able to work on your business so much more effectively.

Focus

Once you have decided your "agenda" for your designated work time, do yourself a favor and stick with it. As new ideas surface, avoid the temptation to venture off course mentally. Jot them down and commit to revisiting them at a later time. Guard against distractions, background noise, and interruptions at all costs. As family members vie for your attention, establish boundaries so that they understand you are simply not available and cannot be disturbed. Remember, your ability to concentrate on the task at hand is key to forward progress.

Get organized

Often times we are running so fast, that we may set things down, but don't always put things where they belong. The time you spend looking for a bill that needs to be paid, or searching for a lost file on the computer, or finding a misplaced important piece of paper, is counterproductive. Organization is a must in order to execute your work plan, without delay. Develop processes and systems (paper or electronic) that facilitate your ability to access information quickly. Remember to involve your family in this process (especially if your work area exists in common space).

Allow your household to help

You can't do it all and do it well. Most highly successful people have a team of people to help them reach their goals quickly and efficiently. You are CEO of your business and your household, so take the lead! Bring your powerful ability to motivate, empower, and inspire to the household to help you do and BE more. Your family is a viable support network and capable of doing more for themselves. Trust this and give them directions for what to do, and how to do it. This will free you up more often to work on your business.

Become a master delegator

Sometimes when we want things just so, we have a tendency to hold things close to the vest and just do it ourselves. As the old saying goes, "If I don't do it, who else will?" Sound familiar? I encourage you to reframe this mindset to avoid burnout down the road. Your goal is to optimize your energy and efforts! Therefore choose those tasks -- whether household or business specific - - that speak to your strengths and greatest assets. Delegate the rest! In the end, your productivity is maximized, energy reserved, and results realized.

To learn more about how to INSTANTLY do more for your business in less time visit http://www.betteroptimizeyourtime.com and obtain a FREE gift.

Copyright 2009 - Success Transitions LLC & Zenobia Garrison - All Rights Reserved