As a business owner you may struggle with the question of how you will be able to get everything done. This is especially true for independent service professionals and solopreneurs. There are only so many hours in the day, this isn’t going to change. So something else has to.
To get started, make a list of all of the things you are going to stop doing, things that are not directly connected to the core of your business.

Here are some examples of things for a “to don’t” list:

• Don’t schedule meetings with everyone who asks
• Don’t check e-mail every 10 minutes
• Don’t spend hours thinking about small things like the best font type
• Don’t get lost surfing the internet
• Don’t keep doing things manually that you can automate

Once you have your list ready, keep it in a place where you can see it. As you begin each day, think about what you want to accomplish and remind yourself of what you will NOT be doing. As you take action throughout the day, be aware of your activities and check to see if something you are doing is on your “to don’t” list - if it is, stop doing it immediately! You can always add new things to your list as you become more aware of how you spend your time.

After awhile, you will automatically notice a “to don’t” and you will choose not to do it before you get lost in the activity and wonder where the last hour(s) went.

You can also use your “to don’t” list as a way to set stronger boundaries for yourself, and your business. Saying no to certain things makes the things you do choose to say ‘yes’ to, that much more clear and powerful.

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