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Copyright 2012 Leonie Featherstone 1


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How To Get More Done In Your Day

Author: Leonie Featherstone

First edition copyright 2011 Leonie Featherstone

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or

transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,

without the prior written permission of the author.

Publisher: Featherstone, Leonie, 1961

Edition: 1sted

Graphic Design by Amanda Rattray

Editing by Magdalen Popiel and 5 Small Stones

ISBN No.: 978-0-9923397-0-8

For more information on How To Get More Done In A Day eBooks, coaching or seminars

please phone 0411 744 767, [email protected] visit me at

https://www.facebook.com/AWayWithWordsbyLeonieFeatherstone

Lynnelle Richardsonwww.5smallstones.com.au

Website & Logo Design | Promotion & Publishing Assistance
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.5smallstones.com.au/http://www.5smallstones.com.au/http://www.5smallstones.com.au/http://www.5smallstones.com.au/mailto:[email protected]


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Foreword

I can hear myself saying, Leonie, forgive me!

Why? Because 6 weeks ago, my dear friend Leonie asked me to write the introduction to her newest

book. Honored, I naturally said yes. But with little thought to my current commitments and booming

workload, I should have been more thoughtful when I realised I was writing an introduction for a timemanagement book correction, apriority management book!

Leonies Time Personalities talks about the limiting behaviours we engage in that cause us to whittle

away valuable chunks of time and after 6 weeks, I am beginning to see myself as Caffeinated Claire,

Perfectionist Peter, Chatty Carla and Yes, Yes Yolanda all rolled into the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde of

missed deadlines. 5 apologies later. 6 lots of Ill get it to you this week and I am a living reminder of

the need to constantly work at my highest priorities and reduce time wasters like everyone else.

But like one of the many time management credos Ive heard over the years such as, If you want

something done, give it to a busy person, I have finally followed through on my promise to thisremarkable women who is the living embodiment of How to Get More Done in Your Day.

I have known Leonie for more than a decade and watched her raise two of the most amazing children I

know. She has built an incredible business. She actively helps in the community and is there for her wide

circle of friends. Leonie has written multiple books along with the poetry and prose she so elegantly puts

onto heartwarming cards when others struggle to find the right words.

Leonie is the kind of person who you can always rely on. She just somehow finds the time and gets

things done.

The lessons and insights contained in How to Get More Done in Your Day will pop the lid on the Geniebottle and help you make time stand still as you passionately pursue your goals and dreams in your daily

life.

If you follow the methods Leonie lays out, you willget more done in less time.

Success is not a secret. Its a strategy. And the strategies Leonie presents in this clear and concise book

will guide you to finding the freedoms you desire. The smallest changes can bring you the biggest

rewards. This small book could be the magic you have been looking for.

Its time to take the lid off your Genie bottle.

I hope you enjoy How to Get More Done in Your Day because its not just a book, its now your new

way of life.

Scott Groves - www.ScottGroves.com

Author of 6 Books including Internationally Sold The Power of Subconscious Goal Setting, 10 X

Marathon Runner, Advisory Board Member, Speaker, Consultant, General Manager and Senior Partner

of IM Firm Zanity.com.au, and Father of 2.

P.S. 6 Weeks and 33 minutes later: Leonies intro = DONE!!! I can hear Procrastinating Pam saying, I

was letting the intro brew in my subconscious.

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn -http://www.linkedin.com/in/scottgroves
http://www.scottgroves.com/http://www.scottgroves.com/http://www.linkedin.com/in/scottgroveshttp://www.linkedin.com/in/scottgroveshttp://www.linkedin.com/in/scottgroveshttp://www.linkedin.com/in/scottgroveshttp://www.scottgroves.com/


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Acknowledgements

My mother always said that the best present you could

give anyone was a good example. How right she was!

Seeing how much she packed into every day and how

she did it has been the reason I have developed suchstrong organizational techniques and the ability to

create systems to free up more time in my days.

Mum lived in Urandangie, a remote tiny town in

Outback Queensland with no electricity, 5 children

under the age of 10 and a husband who worked away

for months on end in the Trucking industry. On top of

her mothering duties, she managed to run the Post

Office, General Store, conduct weather observations

every 3 hours except midnight for the Meteorological

Bureau, teach us kids school, act as Secretary for the

local CWA club and deliver delicious meals and home-

made bread and other goodies.

Do you think she was good at managing what she did with her time? You bet she was!

I will always be eternally grateful to Mum for this valuable lesson in utilizing every minute

profitably and for that reason alone, I dedicate this book to her!

To my family and friends, particularly my Inner Circle thank you for always being there for

me, supporting and encouraging me and making me believe that the information I have to

share is valuable!

To Roisin and ZachIm so glad my ability to utilize my time wisely meant we spent many

magical moments together at your important events while you were growing up. I treasure

those memories and look forward to spending much more time with you as adults.

To Scott Groves thank you for the many powerful lessons from your Power Of Subconscious

Goal Setting workshops, for your valuable mentoring and most of all - for your friendship.

To all the other teachers I have encountered so far in my life thank you for the lessons

thank you for the inspiration and thank you for providing the fuel that launched this book!

Photography by Lynnelle Richardson


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Contents

Foreword ............................................................................................................................... 3

Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 6

Step 1 - Forget Time Management! ........................................................................................ 8

Step 2 - Take Responsibility For Your Life ............................................................................... 8

Step 3Control Your Thoughts And Words And Actions ........................................................ 9

Step 4Rearrange How You Currently Spend Your Time ...................................................... 12

Step 5 - Identify And Remove Time Wasters ....................................................................... 14

Step 6Identify Your Common LimitingBehaviours ........................................................... 15

Organize Family and Home .................................................................................................. 19

Step 1: Get Your Family Involved ......................................................................................... 19

Step 2: Schedule Time For YOU! .......................................................................................... 21

Step 3: Develop Supportive Systems.................................................................................... 22

Step 4: Eliminate Time Wastage In The Kitchen ................................................................... 27

Step 5: Invest in Buying Time ............................................................................................... 30

Step 6: Learn To Dovetail Activities ..................................................................................... 31

Organize Your Business ........................................................................................................ 32

Step 1: Do A Stock Take ....................................................................................................... 33

Step 2: Schedule Time For PLANNING! ................................................................................. 36

Step 3: Hold a Team Conference .......................................................................................... 37

Step 4: Create a Productive Environment ............................................................................. 37

Step 5: Develop Supportive Systems, Procedures And Tools ................................................ 39

Step 7: Invest in Buying Time ............................................................................................... 43

Step 8: Revisit What Youve Learnt ....................................................................................... 43

Step 9: Seek Out Solutions ................................................................................................... 46

Appendix ............................................................................................................................. 48


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How To Get More Done In Your Day

Introduction

Congratulations on investing part of your day to make a positive change to your life. Youre most likely

to be reading this because you want to get more done in your day and because whatever you are doingcurrently to achieve that, isnt working for you.

Understand this: When you want a different result, you usually have to DO something DIFFERENTLY.

Resist the urge to skim across these pages to find the quick tips and hints that will deliver you all that

extra time. That wont work. You see its YOU who has to actually DO some work first, to find out

WHY you are forever running out of time in your day. This is a crucial step you need to take before

you move on to the rest of the series to discover the time saving practices you can implement.

You may be very disciplined and organized in some areas mentioned in this book and feel tempted to

skip these bits. I urge you to persevere with every section and to think about how the techniques in

these sections, and the strategies you already employ in the organized areas of your life, can be adapted

and used for the not so organized areas of your personal, family and business life.

Whilst some of the suggestions in this book are very basic , research has revealed that many work at

home Mums and Dads struggle because basics have been overlooked in the search for the magic

bullet.

So, take a deep breath and read on as you delve into your own attitudes and practices. These

discoveries will allow you to make changes and build firm foundations for an enjoyable life that allows

you to fit all you want into a day and become the best you can possibly be!


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Step 1 - Forget Time Management!

Yes, you read correctly! Time Management is a misnomer! You can no more manage time than you

can manage the ocean tides. What you CAN do however, is manage what YOU DOwith the time you

have in your day!

So, it makes sense that we start with YOUand what you are thinking and doing before we start on theactual how tos ofgetting more done in your day!

Step 2 - Take Responsibility For Your Life

One of the most common complaints I hear from people is I dont have enough time. Have you ever

heard yourself say that? Im sure you have!

In fact this is such a common expression that one could be forgiven for thinking that if we solved this

one dilemma, we could create a world of happier and more fulfilled people. This time challenge

appears to be the major force that holds them back from doing so much! Now, wouldnt finding more

time for people to complete their to do lists be a wonderful thing to accomplish?

Too often, in the rush of todays lifestyle, we keep going and never take time out to enjoy just being,

let alone to savour magical moments that are taking place around us. We pull out the time excuse

repeatedly and this invariably leads to stress; and, as we know, stress is one of the major causes of

disharmony in our body, mind and spirit let alone inactivity in our business.

Think about this

**Imagine that every day you were given $86,400. At the end of the day, what you didn't spend was

gone. You could not borrow from the next day and you couldn't keep anything from the day before.

What would you do?

You see, in life, we are given 86,400 seconds per day. There is nothing that we can do to add to that day

(no borrowing, no holding on from the day before) - nothing. All that you have is that 86,400 seconds.

What you do with that time can be life changing or life wasting.

For changes to take place, you must accept 100% personal responsibility for YOUR life OR become a

slaveto the circumstances that surround you.

So, how do you spend your 86,400 seconds?

** Thank you to whoever came up with this metaphor!

Stop acting as if you have a 1000 years to

live!

Marcus AureliusGreat Roman Emperor

and Philoso her


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Step 3Control Your Thoughts And Words And Actions

Now, as the money example illustrates, we cant squeeze any more minutes into the day. We also have

no power over time, so we need to focus our energies on the areas which we CANcontrol and those are

our thoughts, words and what we do with our time. So, the answer to finding more time, is in our

attitude to time and our commitment to squeeze more into those minutes ORto rearrange how we

currently spend our time.

OK STOP!

I know that there will be some people who right now will want to skip over this part.

Do so at your own peril!

As I said earlier, understanding WHYyou have issues with time is critical or else you will attempt to

make changes and find you still have chaos and confusion in your life.

So, take a deep breath and commit to follow the process page by page. Just like a building sitelayingstrong foundations is essential for sustained and stable upward growth. Take the time now to lay your

foundations to ensure sound future practices in your life and business.

What are you thinking?

Let me ask you this:

What words and expressions pop into your head when you hear the word time?

Busy? Flat out? Hectic?

Or,

Balanced? Relaxed? Productive?

Take a moment now to jot down the things you say and how you

feel about time. This is a very important process and not

something to be rushed.

Note how many words, phrases and feelings you use are

expressing a lack of time or dissatisfaction with time and how

many are a positive expression about time?


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Are you surprised with the outcome?

It is important to understand that whenever we use time related language,as much as they are often

our automatic responses, we are constantly reinforcing to our subconscious those same thoughts.

Therefore if our thoughts are predominantly that we are time poor, we create a feeling of lack insteadof abundance.

Negative Thought Process/Saying

There are never enough hours in the day

We need an 8 day week

Time flies too fast

Nowthe reality is that we have exactly the same amount of hours in our day as had Helen Keller,

Michelangelo, Mother Theresa, Einstein and many other people who made significant impacts on theworld often through very challenging circumstances.

You see, it is not the number of hours

that are put in the day that matters

its what we put into the number of

hours in the day!

Here are some

examples of negative

expressions


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Negative Thought Process/Saying Positive Thought Process/Saying

There are never enough hours in the day I will be more productive with the hours in my day

We need an 8 day week Its great to have a 7 day week

Time flies too fast I will work more efficiently during my week

Table 1: Click here to complete template in Appendix

These new, positive sayings lead us to the first possible solutionsqueeze more into those minutes.Well its all very well to say that but anyone who has filled their teacup to the brim with tea knows that

the only way they are going to fit in any milk is to tip out some of the tea

And so it is with your time. If your day is full to the brim with activities, you will need to remove

some to fit in the other activities that you choose to do.

This moves us on to one of the most important steps in taking responsibility for the time of your life.

Now, below you will find those same examples of negative

expressions and how they can be replaced with positive

affirmations. Add your commonly used expressions to the left

hand column and come up with a more positive expression on theright hand side.

Negative Positive


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Step 4Rearrange How You Currently Spend Your Time

In order to rearrange how you allocate time to the various areas of your life, it is essential to ascertain

what activities AREimportant to you. You can do this by deciding what YOUreally want from your days

on this earth!

So, what lights your fire?

Have you ever noticed that when you are passionate about something you have a spring to your step

and you are keener than ever to start the day so you can get into it? Whats even more interesting is

that you findthe time to work consistently on that particular project until you finish it. Interesting

isnt it?

So, this is your chance! Forget about any limitations youve had placed on yourself in the past. Pretend

that time, skill and money are of no consequence and take some time out to DREAM! What do youreally want to BE, DO and HAVE?

Example

You want to do some overtime to earn extra money. Why? To pay for a family holiday to Disney World. Why? Because you want to treat your family. Why? Because you want to spend some quality time with your family in a relaxed environment to

enjoy each others company, to bond and to create some beautiful memories.

Write it down now!

Use the template below to compile this list. Once you have started

with what you want to be, do and have, it is important to drill

down and find out what really VALUE in life. You can do this by

filling in the column Why? next to each thing you write. With each

answer you give, continue to ask yourself why? until you get to

the core reason you want to achieve that thing.


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Quality time with your familybecomes your real Why and reason to work overtime NOT the

money, NOT the trip.

Example: What I Value In Life

I want to:

BE Why? (Your Core Reason) How will I know when I have

achieved this?

More organized I feel out of control and am

always rushing to get to

appointments and sometimes I

double book. I want to feel in

control and relaxed about mywork to preserve my health.

I will know at the start of each

day exactly what appointments

I have and I will arrive at each

one on time and in a much

more relaxed state.

Do Why How will I know when I have

achieved this?

Learn Italian So that I can travel and live in

Italy with a greater understanding

and ability to relate to the locals.

When I can converse easily with

my Italian friends and when I

start to think in Italian.

Have Why How will I know when I have

achieved this?

A holiday home close to the sea So we can enjoy carefree family

holidays whenever we want and

rent it out as an investment forthe rest of the time.

When I have seen a Financial

Planner and have put a

saving/investment plan in placeand have a Real Estate agent

find my ideal property.

Table 2: Now its your turn

How does knowing your why and your values help with managing your time?

Knowing your why gives you a strong sense of purpose and eliminates procrastination. Studies show that successful people can make decisions the 1sttime they arise in 80% of

situations because they are clear on whats important to them. They know what they value and

believe and they know their why.

Next, fill in the 3rd

column so you will know when you

have actually achieved what you want to be, do and

have.

Write a list NOW!


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The biggest reason people fail to follow through with their goals (what you want) is because thegoals are not congruent with their highest value.

When your values are in conflict with your goals, you will subconsciously sabotage them and youwill waste a lot of time along the way.

Example:

You have been asked to work on Sundays. If that is your main family time and building and enjoying

relationships with your children and partner is one of your whys or key values, you will most likely turn

down the job even though your goal was to earn extra money for a trip to Disneyland.

Step 5 - Identify And Remove Time Wasters

As much as many people claim to manage their time effectively, in many cases their actions fail to match

their words and intentions. Now, remember this. The focus of time management is actually to changeyour behaviours, not time itself for, as we know, that is something we just cannot do. This is where

prompt action needs to be taken to break these negative habits and replace them with positive actions.

A great starting place therefore, is to see what time wasting behaviours we are currently employing.

What form do these time wasters sometimes take?

TV Phone Emails Surfing the web Unannounced visitors Waiting

Once you actually chart what you spend your time on, you may well find that it is a totally different story

than you originally thought. You will notice this particularly when you take out the time you spent on

things such as brewing cups of tea, making social calls, checking the latest news bulletins on line,

sneaking a quick peek at the latest joke your friend sent you, surfing the net to find the best price on

roof insulation and checking your bids on ebay. Now, all of these things are perfectly ok to doits your

life after all. Just be aware of the time they take when you end the day and think youve been working

all day.

Im sure youll find more to add to this list so rule up a page in

15 minute blocks and write down everything you do in a day. I

can promise you this will be very revealing as it will show you

how and where you wasted your time.


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By identifying your time wasters you can decide whether they needto go or whether you need to slot

them into other areas of your day e.g. you time, family time etc. Understanding exactly where your

time goes and then organizing it to go where you wantit to go, puts you in the drivers seat and on the

road to regaining control over your life.

Step 6Identify Your Common LimitingBehaviours

Do you recognize yourself amongst these Time personalities that Ive studied?

Crisis Junkie Johno Always fighting fires and running from one to the other to dampen them downo Change behaviour toempower others, delegate and prioritize

Caffeinated Claireo Always jumps up to make a cup of coffee when something less interesting needs doingo Change behaviour toremind yourself of why you are doing it and what this will

mean to you and just do it and use the coffee as a reward

Perfectionist Petero Spends hours getting the spreadsheet just rightall perfectly colour co-ordinated,

lettering perfect, lines just sospends ages shopping for the perfect stationery, tools etc

o Change behaviour tobeing very specific about what is it you require and what thedesired outcome is and giving yourself a time frame within which to complete it

Chatty Carlao Always on the phone for long periods of timeo Change behaviour towrite down what the desired outcome is before the phone call

make notes of the points needed to be covered and stick to a time limit

Flittering Fredo Easily distracted and flits from one job to another without completing anythingloses

interest and moves on to another task

o Change behaviour toknow the desired outcome of a task and what it will mean toyour business and stick at it and not move on another task until it is completed or at a

satisfactory stage (be honest with yourself about what is satisfactory); Use a to do

list and prioritize and reward yourself

Disorganized Deliao Muddles through the day and attends to things but important tasks get forgotten; more

reactive than proactive

o Change behavior tocreate a daily to do listand prioritize and stick to it


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Fearful Ferdinando Rather afraid of what might happen or be around the corner so tends not to start or

only do things that are feel safe

o Change behavior to focus on what you want and why, and know what a differencethe actions will make to your goals. Create a blue print of what to do, keep it simpleand just do it! Expect positive outcomes

Procrastinating Pam (procrastination is a sign of disbelief and/or disinterest)o Always has an excuse for why they havent called the potential client or sent out sales

brochures;

o Change behaviour to Reassess why you are in the businesswhat do you want toachieve; reacquaint yourself with what the desired outcome (sales etc) will mean to

you. If this still isnt working maybe its time to find another goal/business

Laid Back Larryo Theres always tomorrowo Change behavior to focus on what you want and why, and know what a difference

the actions will make to your goals. Break the tasks down, give yourself a time frame

and a reward when each segment of the task is completed

Yes, Yes Yolandao Over commitsalways saying yes to everythingo

Change behavior tofocus on what you want and why and know what a differencethe actions will make to your goals. Ask yourselfis this action taking me closer to

my goals? If notsay no! Learn to say yesto the things that fit in with your values

and goals and no to most other things

Make a list of any limiting behaviours you recognize in

yourself that you would like to change and then list the

actions necessary to do this.


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CongratulationsYouve completed section 1!

Keep what youve learned in mind as you now move on

and explore how to get more done in your day

by organizing your family and home!


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How To Get More Done In Your DayPart 2

Organize Family and Home

Introduction

By now you will have worked your way through Part 1. Hopefully you have now discovered WHYyou

have been forever running out of time in your day and have implemented practices to bring about

positive changes in your habits and behaviours. This will lay a firm foundation for the time saving

practices you will discover in the following pages.

So, take a deep breath and read on and resolve to stop and do the action steps as they appear. There

are no prizes for getting to the end of the book first! The prize is creating your own meaningful

blueprint for getting more done in your day and allowing you to enjoy the beautiful world around you

and all the special people in your life!

Step 1: Get Your Family Involved

Do you ever find yourself feeling guilty about your business keeping you away from your family at nights

or weekends? Do you find yourself eating take away meals a bit more often? Do the tentacles of

frustration and resentment start to entangle you when you are doing housework late at night while

others sleep because you simply ran out of hours in the day? Do you avoid the eyes of your toddler

when you disappear out the front door or into the murky depths of your out of bounds office?

Relax! You are not alone!

If you have followed the processes outlined in Part 1Take Responsibility For YOU, you will have most

likely found that your family rate very highly in your list of things you value. It makes sense then, that

you would want them to support you in your business endeavours, as they will be the end consumers of

the fruits of your labour!

Heres what you can do

Hold A Family Conference

But,I hear you say, my children are only 3 and 4! The age ofyour children is irrelevantit is the content of your message and

how it is delivered that will determine whether or not you end your

conference in the same state as you began or, with a cheer squad of

family members supporting your goals and ambitions!

Its all about understanding.

Your objective is to let your family members know why you are

doing what you do and whats in it for them. Once your family

become emotionally involved and attached to the outcomes andactions required of your work and they realize that they stand to

benefit in a tangible way, the blinkers come off and the light bulbs


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burn brightly in their young brains! Before you know it, they will be cracking the whip on you and

pushing you out the door to your next appointment!

Once this level of understanding has been reached, the next step is to get an undertaking from them

that they will support you. Then, get themto suggest what they can do to keep the family unit

operating smoothly so that family time WITHyou is not compromised. In some cases, it will require you

to delegate chores and responsibilities but wherever possiblecall for volunteers. The majority ofpeople respond better to new or extra chores when they have offered rather than when they have

been told.

Lets put this into an example to make it clear.

Remember the example we used in How To Get More Out Of Your Day - Part 1?

You wanted to earn extra money so that you could pay for a family holiday to Disney World. Why?

Because you wanted spend some quality time with your family in a relaxed environment to enjoy

each others company, to bond and to create some beautiful memories.

Your two children aged 7 and 8 see you flying out the door several nights of the week, rushingdinner or leaving a take away meal on the table for them to share with their father/babysitter.

On the weekends you are often on the phone or the computer and the most common

expression they hear is not now, Im busy.

During your Family Conference you explain to them why you are busy and what the results ofyour efforts will mean to them. By showing them brochures and explaining what you will all be

doing and feeling together when you get to Disney World, you will engage their emotions and

their attachment to this fabulous goal.

The next part is to ask them what they can do to help you so that you can spend more of yourat home time with them and not doing mundane chores.

Some of their suggestions combined with your requests could be:

Putting their dirty clothes in the laundry Keeping their rooms clean and tidy Taking turns to empty the dishwasher Setting the table Getting out of bed the first time they are called Feeding pets Being mindful of your need for business privacy if the office door is closed Giving you encouragement instead of complaining when you have to leave them for work

For older children you could encourage family participation and responsibilities such as:

Doing the washing Ironing their own clothes Cooking a meal once or twice a week Sharing the house cleaning chores Helping with office tasks

A Family Conferenceis a perfect way to get your entire family to buy into your why and can bring

about a much more harmonious and enjoyable journey towards your goal.


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The To-Do List

To ensure this process operates smoothly, design a to-do list. Divide a page into three columns. In the

first column list the job to be done, in the middle column a brief description of how to do it and leave

the third blank. Save this on your computer and print multiple copies to be used weekly. Then all you

have to do each week is add in the family members name next to their task for that week.

Example of a Family Task List

Task To Be Done Description Person Responsible

Take out the rubbish nightly Get a garbage bag from 3rddrawerin Kitchen.

Go into each room in house andempty waste paper baskets into

this bag.

Lastly add kitchen bin rubbish intothe bag and take it out to the green

rubbish bin near the garage.Empty the dishwasher in the

morning

Take out all items. If not quite dry, dry

with a tea towel. Put all items away in

their right places.

Table 3: Family Task List

Step 2: Schedule Time For YOU!

Even with family support and participation, your cup may still be overflowing. Despite this, it is crucial

that you set aside time each week for planning. Taking time out of your busy schedule to plan the

activities for the week and ensure all resources are at hand will invariably save you time in the long run.

What is also important is to set aside some you time outside of your business and family. I can almost

hear you saying, But I dont have time! However, when you do this, you place value on yourself,

youre-energize your body, mind and soul AND youll find you get through your other jobs much

quicker!

Take a few minutes now to write your family to-do list

using the template below.


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Now, this doesnt mean you spend 3 hours a week in a Day Spa. It could be as simple as:

Taking half an hour for lunch where you read a favourite book over your soup or sandwich OR Having a bubble bath once a week and listening to your favourite music

Step 3: Develop Supportive Systems

One way to get more done in your day is to have useful tools and systems in place to support your

intentions.

What are some of these?

A Diary

Choose one that has a month at a view so you see in one glance exactly what you have on forthat month (If you use an electronic diary, see if you can view it this way)

Develop a colour coding system (or symbols) to help you maintain balance. Limit yourself to 4-5colours/symbols otherwise it will be too confusing. The idea is to look at your month to a page

diary and know in a glance whether you have balance in your life or if you need to adjust. For

this exercise, I will demonstrate colours. e.g.

o Yellow for sales producing activities eg Markets; Paid appointments;o Pink for Team/Staff activities eg Staff Training; 1:1 meetings with team memberso Green for family activities eg night at the movies; family picnico Blue for YOU eg Gym; Bubble bath; Massage;

Take a few minutes now to write down how you would enjoyspending your YOU time!

Go on, just do it! No moving on to the next stage until youve

done this! Dream a little think of luxuriant, indulgent

activities as well as the smaller, more practical things!

Mix it up and have fun with this exercise.

Take a few minutes now to write the main categories

where you spend your time so you can allocate a colour.

Go on, just do it! Then use the template provided and fill

in types of activities that fall under each area. This will

make it easier for you to colour code your diary.


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Example: Diary Colour Code Chart

Now its YOUR turn!

Table 4: Develop Your Own Coding System Here

Yearly Wall Planner

These can be purchased from an office supplies store. Mark in school holidays, conferences, regular

seminars, seasonal events, markets, events and use this information to maximise your annual planning.

Brainstorming Wall

A brainstorming wall is a wonderful asset to any family and business. Use a whiteboard attached to the

wall or create your own wallwith chart paperstuck to the wall or window. (Chalk pens are also great

for writing on windows and can be found in most kitchen-ware shops.)

Whenever you have a creative thought/new business idea/product line proposal or any ideas write

them on this wall. Why not dedicate half an hour or an hour a week to a concentrated brainstorming

session and collect your ideas on your wall. From here you can transfer them to your computer to be

worked into an actual product, event or promotion or activity/goal for your family or business.

To-Do Lists

You can rule up your own to-do list or purchase them from an office supply store. Ensure youhave 3 columns the first (also very small) to prioritize the items, the middle to write the task

and the 3rd(very small) to tick when the job is completed.

Instead of heading up your to-do list: with the days date, try this. Each Monday start your listand head it up, Week Beginning and insert the date of the Monday. This relieves some of the

pressure attached to a huge daily to-do list and the feelings of guilt when they arent all done

that day. It also avoids wasting time transferring those tasks to a new daily to do list.

The key to this approach is to then prioritize your tasks and complete them accordingly. At theend of the day you may choose to add more tasks or just keep working through the list thefollowing day.

Category Colour Activities

WorkPlanning/Admin Red Analysing salesplanning promotions; Organizing

next events/Team/Staff trainings

Work - Sales Yellow Markets; One on one sales; Processing/Packingorders from website

Work - Team Pink Presenting Team/Staff trainings; One on one

meetings

Family Green Movie Night; Mini Golf; Picnic in the park

Me Blue Lunch with Girls: Gym; Reading time; Bubble bath


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You may find you have two pages of to-dos on the go at once. At some stage it may be practicalto transfer the one or two things left on the page to a new sheet so you are not juggling 3-4

pages. However, play with this idea until you find a system comfortable for you.

Be sure to use a when you finish a task this is a positive reinforcement to yoursubconscious as opposed to a cross. If you doubt this, ask yourself what you think of when you

see this mark on a document ?

Did it remind you of school days when you got parts of an assignment or exam wrong? And ifso, how did this make you feel? I hope you get my point about using a .

ExampleTo-Do List

Priority Task Completed

3 Finish Tax

2 Finish Part 2 of How To Get More Done In Your Day

1 Email Ebook to people whose payment has been received

3 Work on content of webinar programme

1 Send quotes for Party Plan Mastery Mentoring to leads

Table 5: To-Do List

Family Schedule

This is another simple tool to help improve your organization and planning.

Have a prominent (visible and accessible) list/calendar where all members of the family canwrite their upcoming events and commitments. With smaller children, you will no doubt be

responsible for this.

This helps to avoid double bookings and also reveals any potential clashes, giving you time tomake alternative arrangements or organize baby sitters etc

Meal Schedule

I can almost hear some of you groaning at this one but, hear me out!

How often do you go shopping and buy some mince in case you

decide to make meat patties, some chicken drumsticks in case you

decide to try that new recipe from Aunt Agatha and end up adding it to

your store in the freezer as you didnt have the exact ingredients you

needed to do it that week? Or, worse still, feeding it to the animals

because you didnt use it in time?

Planning Saves Time And Money

From my experience, when you take the time to sit down (with

family/partner collaboration) to decide what main meals you want to

enjoy that week, you come up with a far more precise shopping list


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AND you save money. How? Because you arent throwing out herbs and vegetables that you bought

just in case and you arent wasting valuable time wondering what youre going to have and making

multiple mad dashes to the grocery store!

Now, understand this: This list doesnt have to be totally regimented! It is a guideline only and you can

still enjoy spontaneity and flexibility especially if it means saving money by buying whats on special

when you get to the grocery store. This planning procedure simply allows you to be more organized and

can actually introduce more variety into your menus.

So, how does this process work?

Make a list of your (you, your partner and family members) favourite meals or meals you wantto try

Find the recipes and give them a home in your kitchen Pick a day to do your weekly planning think about making this a weekly family conference or

chat

Get everyone to contribute to the meal suggestions Take some time on your own to look at the family schedule and then determine which meals are

best on which nights e.g. If you have to collect children from sporting training late some

afternoons, it would be best to have a meal that does not require lengthy preparations; if you

have a meeting one nightthat could be the ideal day to choose a meal that could be prepared

in the morning and placed in the slow cooker

Once you have selected the meals, create an ingredients list and check against the contents ofyour pantry and fridge then compile your shopping list

Example: Family Meal Planner

Day Meal Ingredients To Buy

Monday Corned beef in slow cooker

and vegetables

Corned beef and vegetables

Tuesday Chicken oregano and brown

rice and vegetables

Chicken breasts and vegetables

Wednesday Steak and salad Steak and lettuce, cherry tomatoes, carrots,

cucumber

Thursday Vegetarian lasagne Lasagne sheets, grated cheese, vegetables,tomato paste

Friday Roast chicken and vegetables Chicken and vegetables

Saturday Gourmet pizza Pizza base, basil, tomato paste, pineapple,

vegetables, ham, olives

Sunday Spaghetti Bolognese Mince, spaghetti sauce

Now its YOUR turn!

Table 6: Family Meal Planner


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Babysitting Planner

Once you have filled in all your commitments on the family schedule it will become obvious where you

or your partner will be responsible for child minding and also where there are clashes and a babysitter

will need to be arranged.

To keep this process simple for all involved, create some tools such as:

A list of babysitters with their contact details and availability e.g. teenage neighbour can doweekends not week nights due to school commitments

A list of contacts for the babysitter e.g. you and your partners mobile numbers, another trustedfriend/family member in case your numbers cant be reached, emergency numbers etc

A list of requirements e.g. bath and meal routines for small children Any other information that would make the babysitters jobeasier

Table 7: Babysitter Planner

Take the time now to begin your babysitting schedule and to

make a list of information that would be useful to the people

you ask to mind your children.

This list could be adapted for the people who mind your

pets/house.

Take some time to think of the meals you and your family

like to cook and eat.

Fill in the following meal planner as a dry run before you

introduce this concept to your family.


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Step 4: Eliminate Time Wastage In The Kitchen

I often hear people bemoaning the fact that food preparation and eating steal so much time out of their

day. Eating and cooking were meant to be enjoyable activities and so here are a few suggestions to

streamline your culinary activities and eliminate time wastage in the kitchen.

Write It Down!

Teach and regularly remind all family members to write down grocery items when they have run out

(e.g. when they eat the last banana) or are almost finished. Attach a shopping list and pen to the back

of the pantry door or somewhere handy and remind everyone regularly to use it!

This will save you having to spend 10-15 minutes trawling through the pantry and fridge before your

shopping sortie, trying to work out what is needed to keep the family appetites happy for the coming

week.

It will also stop you acquiring multiple bottles of soy sauce (because you thought it was low) andeliminate extra runs to the supermarket because you didnt know juniors favourite school snacks had

run out!

Used in conjunction with your Family Meal Planner this process will result in time saved and money not

wasted and therefore a happier household!

Cook OnceEat Often

Many meals such as bolognese sauce, butter chicken, chicken korma, taco mince, curries, casseroles and

minestrone are ideal to freeze. So, buy some meal sized, freezer safe take away containers (or whatever

you use to freeze food) and adapt your recipe then make 2 or 3 times your usual amount. Serve fordinner and simply freeze the remaining amount. Be sure to label clearly as I have learnt the hard way

that nachos bean mix looks very similar to bolognese sauce when it is frozen but it doesnt go very well

with pasta!

Cooking bigger portions adds very little time to the initial cooking process and by having a stock of

frozen meals on hand, you will makes life so much easier for you. They are ideal for other family

members to prepare when you cant be home to cook dinner and they are also a treat for you when

you want to have a night off from cooking. Simply remove from the freezer, defrost, cook some

rice/pasta etc and hey presto! Dinner is served!

To save even more time, you may choose to cook several meals at once,particularly if they involve similar ingredients that need to be chopped

and prepared e.g. chicken, onions etc . It is not unusual for me to cook

chicken korma, butter chicken, bolognese sauce and taco mince all on the

same night.

Slow Cookers

I often use the slow cooker for casseroles and I usually prepare

ingredients for these on my big cook up night. In fact, I have found that

by chopping up enough ingredients for two meals, I can put one batch in

the slow cooker and put it in the fridge ready to be put on first thing in themorning and another batch, with a few slight flavour changes, in a sealed

container in the fridge to marinade and to be used later in the week.


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School Uniforms

In my opinion, our role as parents is largely about role modelling to our children and empowering them

to take on skills and attributes to be able to be the best they can be and enjoy a fulfilling and

productive life.

Therefore, doing everything for them is not conducive to this outcome. From an early age, teach your

children about the power of contribution. When everyonein a family unit contributes in some way, as

opposed to Mum and Dad doing all the chores, the family wheel turns more smoothly and there is more

time for quality family interaction.

So, from an early age, teach your children where the laundry basket is. As they get older, show them

how to put the washing on and how to hang it out/use the dryer etc and how to neatly return it to

their cupboards.

One big tip is to hang your washing VERYcarefully as this will reduce your ironing time. I was very lucky

with the school uniform fabrics of my children. Removing them from the washing machine as soon as

the spin cycle ended and hanging them on coat hangers ensured they rarely needed to be ironed.

Household Procedures

If you had to suddenly leave town for a few weeks, would the rest of the family know what to do to

maintain a happy household?

Now might be a good time to think about what other skills you can pass on. Writing up simple

procedures, even in dot points, for tasks such as washing, ironing, cleaning the house and cooking

simple meals can be a valuable investment of your time to avoid distress and potential disaster in your

absence!

So, take a deep breath! Its now time to make some notes!

What tasks/activities could you teach your family in order to

empower them and to share your work load?

When you have your list, dot point the procedures and

create a little booklet. Give it a quirky title and introduce itat your next Family Conference!

e.g. Household Survival Guide


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Step 5: Invest in Buying Time

I still remember how I debated about hiring my first house cleaner. Part of me felt guilty about spending

the money, even though I had a bad back and vacuuming and mopping exacerbated my health

problems. It wasnt until someone pointed out to me that I could be earning 5 times as much/hour by

working my business than I was paying the cleaner, that the penny dropped!

And it wasnt just theextra money I could earn in that same time Id previously spent cleaning. It was

the peace of mind I gained. I used to get stressed just thinking about having to do it and if the children

made a mess just after Id cleaned.phew!

So, think about the areas of your household where you could buy time to allow you to focus on your

business or other areas of interest. Things that spring to mind are cleaning, ironing, bookkeeping and

basic administration.

Also, think about areas of your business where you can involve your family such as putting labels on

brochures, filing, letter box drops etc. Not only will this raise their understanding and appreciate of

what you do, the wage rates are sure to be substantially lower!

Take a few moments to think about the household chores

you dislike and the business activities that are non-

productive or are outside your skill level.

Decide which you will outsource and then just do it!


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Step 6: Learn To Dovetail Activities

Whilst there are many tasks that required our dedicated attention, there are gazillions more that can

easily be dovetailed to free up extra time.

The following suggestions are predominantly aimed at work at home businesses.

Make a list of TV jobs (jobs you can do whilst watching TV)labels on brochures/stock,putting information packs together - this way you can enjoy your favourite show and

work in the ads.

Planning meetings on the beach/in the parkgather your key people either one on oneor in small groups and walkthis allows you to discuss work issues in a very relaxed

atmosphere AND you can get fit at the same time.

Like to catch some rays? I used to write my training programs while sun baking on myfavourite rock on the Seaway leading out to the ocean!

Take your children to a play centre and read while they playthis could be leisurereading or a way to keep up with your industry magazines.

Another of my favourite dovetailing activities was to soak in a bubble bath while readingwork newsletters. I was more relaxed and therefore absorbed more information.

Is your mind racing with ideas? Great! Then youre ready for action.

Congratulations!

Youve survived Section 2!

Hold fast to what youve discovered so far as we move into the

homeward straight to find out how to get more done

in your day by organizing your Business!

Take a few minutes to think about what activities you can

dovetail in the work, family and personal areas of your life.


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How To Get More Done In Your DayPart 3

Organize Your Business

Introduction

So, now youve successfully navigatedPart 1 and Part 2. Hopefully you have not only discovered WHY

you have been forever running out of time in your day but have also implemented practices to bring

about positive changes in your habits and behaviours and have created procedures to organize your

home and family life.

Now it is time to look into your business practices and find ways to organize your work life so that you

become more productive while creating a harmonious synergy between you, your family and your

business.

So, take a deep breath and read on. By now you know the value of doing the action steps as they

appear and you know that you, and you alone, know what you really want out of life and are fully

responsible for the outcomes. Dream big, plan well and do whatever it takes to get more out of your

day and grow to be the beautiful, successful being you were intended to be!

Just A Minute!

Have you done all the exercises in Part 1 and Part 2?

If not, do yourself a HUGE favour and go back and do

them before you read any further!


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Step 1: Do A Stock Take

To know how to get more done in your day in your business, you need to know what you are currently

achieving. So, leave the calculator in the drawer and do a stock take of your daily business activities.

Values, Time Wasters and Limiting Behaviours

From the exercises you did in Part 1, you will have identified some of your current activities and

behaviours that do not match up with your desired outcomes and that also eat into your precious time

without returning any value.

Revisit this section with your Business hat on and see what further positive adjustments you can make.

Its now time for you to take action!

What Is Going On In Your Business?Take the time to think about the following questions and aim to give detailed answers. Looking within

will help you learn more about yourself and your business and ultimately will allow you to formulate a

plan that will lead you to success and avoid wasting time on unproductive exercises.

How do you see your business now? How does it make you feel? How would you like it to be? When your business is operating at your desired levelwhat will this mean to you? What

impact will it have on your life and that of your family? How will you feel?

What have been your successes to date? What HAS worked for you so far? Why do you think this was the case?

Revisit the sections in Part 1 and look at the exercises

totally from a business point of view. Write down your

business values, what do you stand for and just as

importantly what wont you stand for in your business?

Identify the Time Wasters and limiting behaviours in

your business.


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What HASNT worked for you so far? Why do you think this was the case? What challenges do you see for the forward growth of your business? What opportunities do you see for the forward growth of your business? What are some action steps you can take now to move your business forward?

Activities I Like/Dislike

Next, take some blank paper and divide it into 3 columns. In the left hand column, write down all the

things you do in a day/week to operate your business. Write EVERYTHING down! Even the trip to the

Post Office to check the mail, the online session to check your bank balances and the phone calls to your

accountant.

Head up the remaining columns Like and Dislike and identify where each entry belongs.

Example: Like And Dislike Chart

Task Like Dislike

Accounts x

Customer calls x

Packing orders x

Networking x

Table 8:Like and Dislike Chart

Take an exercise book and head up a separate page

with each of these questions. (Leave several pages

in between each question). Then, find a quiet spot

and write down your thoughts and feelings about

each of these areas.


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Flesh It Out

Your next step is to take another sheet of paper, divide that into four and put the task you dislike on the

left side and then write what it is about that task that challenges you. In the next column, list a possible

solution and next to that again, the upside of that solution.

Example: Dislike Solutions Chart

Task Challenge Solution Upside of Solution

Accounts and tax Takes forever; Not sure

if Im doing it right;

Frustrating; Keep

putting it off;

Get a bookkeeper; Frees up time to

spend on

developing new

business; Reduces

stress;

Packing orders Time consuming;

Boring;

Pay a teenager to pack

orders;

Frees my time up to

be generating new

business and

earning many times

what I would pay

the teenager in that

time.

Table 9:Dislike Solutions Chart

Hmmm you werent thinking of reading on before

completing this exercise were you? Go on! Fill in your

Like and Dislike Chart! It wont take long and you willbenefit greatly from clarifying these matters in your

head!


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Step 2: Schedule Time For PLANNING!

Right now you may be feeling totally snowed under and have put planning on the back burner as you

deal with immediate issues of talking to clients and creating sales. Please understand that, just as it

applies to your personal life, taking time out of your busy schedule to plan the business activities for the

week and ensure all resources are at hand will invariably save you time in the long run.

Feel like this is taking up too much time?

Rest assured that the time you spend identifying

your challenges and bottlenecks and solutions

now will create loads of extra time in your future

AND clear the confusion and frustration in your

mind!

Identify the best time of the week for you to

schedule a productive planning session.

With practice and clear objectives, this could be

accomplished in a power hour.


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Step 3: Hold a Team Conference

Just as holding a family conference was a valuable exercise to gain understanding and support from

the people closest to you, so it will be when you hold a conference with the people in your business.

Remember, support comes more readily when there is clarity and understanding.

So, in your team conference, your objective is to let your team members know why you are doing what

you do and whats in it for themwhen they follow your instructions/guidance. You can go on to dig

deeper in individual meetings to help each of them find their own why and create a personalized action

plan for them. Again, just like your family, once they become emotionally involved and attached to the

outcomes and actions required they will realize the tangible benefits to them; their resistance will fade

and their support will blossom.

A Team Conference is a perfect way to get your entire team to buy into your why and to

discover their own, and can bring about a much more harmonious, time effective and

enjoyable journey towards your goals.

Step 4: Create a Productive Environment

Dress For Business

A good business principle to follow, even if you have no intentions of stepping foot outside of your

home office is to dress as if you are going to work.

Sitting around in your track pants and T-Shirt (or heaven forbid your pyjamas!) may well becomfortable but it does not create a business mind set.

You will find that if you dress as if you are going to conduct a business meeting (you will know what is

appropriate for your business) you will create a different attitude to your day and the work you

approach and therefore you will experience a far more positive outcome.

Another benefit to this is that you will always be prepared if an unexpected meeting or opportunity

arises that requires your physical presence.

Schedule a time for a team conference.

Decide upon your objectives for this meeting and

set an agenda. Gather feedback and use the

relevant aspects in your planning time.


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Office Environment

How do you feel about your work area? Some of you may have a have a designated office area while

some may have to co-exist with other parts of your home. Regardless of the location ensure that

wherever it is, you address the following issues:

Office mantrao Create your own Office mantra and recite it regularly

o e.g. this is a happyplaceo business and money flow productively into my businesso today I will be productive and efficient with the use of my time

Ritualso Have a start and finish time and a ritual to start and end the day

o Be strict with yourself about start and finish times e.g. If you are up to yourelbows in dishes at 8.59am and you plan to start work in your home office at9am leave the sink as it is and ensure you are seated at your desk by 9am.

Working from home requires strong self-discipline and this is a good place to

begin!

o A ritual could be always reading your to-do list as you turn on your computerand reading it at the end of the day so you know the important actions for the

next day; reading an inspirational saying before you start your day and writing a

line in your Gratitude Book 5 minutes before you finish your office day.

Layout and Equipmento Do you have adequate desk space for your computer? Do you have an area to write

notes, scribble ideas?

o Are your chair and desk at the right height for your computer use to avoid neck andback issues?

o Do you schedule regular stretch breaks to reduce discomfort and potential time lost inpoor health due to sitting at a desk for many hours?

o Are all your regularly used materials, tools and resources easily accessible, labeled andpositioned to avoid unnecessary actions?

e.g. Mobile suspension files under deskfor regularly used fileso Do you have an office shopping list where you write items that need replacing e.g.

printer ink; copy paper; etc

o Do you have a Bring Forward systema reminder system for tracking ongoing work?

Air flowo Do you have adequate ventilation? Fresh air plays a big part in your productivity rate.

Essential Oilso Have you considered using natures tools to invigorate you during your office sessions

to promote focus and productivity? Diffusing pure Essential oils is a perfect way to do

this!


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Lightingo Do you have sufficient light in your work area? Eye strain creates feelings of tiredness

and can reduce your creativity and productivity. Maybe its time to invest in a desk

lamp or reposition your desk so it is closer to a window?

What do you look at?o How do you feel when you are seated at your desk? Are you staring at a blank wall or

the side of a filing cabinet when sitting in your work chair? Think about adding some

inspirational posters, colour, affirmations or photos to help put you in a mood

conducive for positivity and creativity.

Step 5: Develop Supportive Systems, Procedures And Tools

Just as they are with organizing your family and home life, useful tools and systems in your business are

a sure way to ensure you get more done in your day.

Systems and Procedures Save Time

Each time you do something in your business ask yourself this: If I wasnt here would anyone know

how to do it? Your answer in most cases will be no. This highlights the need to assess each of your

business activities and write an outline of how to do it.

I can hear you saying, I dont have time to do that! Well, know this: Not doing it will actually chew up

more time down the track. So, just dot point your activities in a list for now and then, keep it handy on

your computer and flesh it out when you do have time.

This will save you an enormous amount of time especially if you are sick and someone needs to step in

and do it for you, if you are training an assistant or when you want to pass on these tips and hints to

other members of your team.

This same principle applies to creating a master list of contents for any packs of information that you

use or distribute regularly. These lists can be laminated and stuck on the wall near where the

components are stored so that whoever is compiling them doesnt have to know your businessbut can

simply follow the list; or, if you are doing ityou can follow the list without having to worry about what

you might have forgotten and can use that head space for something else!

Systems and procedures can drastically reduce the time spent on business activities thus freeing up time

to allocate to other areas of need.

Stop now and make a list of your own rituals,

mantras and adjustments you can make to your

office area to increase productivity and ensureyou enjoy the time spent in your home office.


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In Part 2 we discussed the importance of:

A Diary Yearly Wall Planner Brainstorming Wall and To Do Lists

The same lessons in using these tools can be applied to your business.

Add to this list the following:

Monthly Action Plan

You may like to use the example below to create your own action plan template that addresses the main

areas in your business.

Table 10:Monthly Action Plan

Database

Your database is a very valuable business asset yet it is often under-utilized and stored on scraps of

paper, dockets and business cards.

You need to ensure you have a system in place to capture and store in depth details of your contacts

and clients to enable you to market your services effectively to create added business and to provide

regular customer service in a timely and efficient manner.

There are plenty of experts and packages out there to help you with choosing the one thats right for

you along with forums and business sites that will provide free advice.

Data entry can be time consuming however the value of having it all electronically stored is immense. If

you have shoe boxes of customer records that need to inputting, try outsourcing to a teenager or

student who will be willing to do it for a lower fee than a professional organization.

Sales Statistics System

In any business, it is important to know what figures to monitor and

to learn how they can reveal what is working in your business and

what isnt. Simply put, to manage your business effectively, you

need to be able to measure your results.

So many people in home businesses work diligently to create

business revenue but they dont know their figures! This makes no

sense because if you do not know how you are performing now

you will have no way of knowing how to check if you are improving

in the future.

For example why would you keep paying to exhibit your products at

Expos if you havent worked out what your return is on these

events? And how can you increase your customer average spend if

you dont know what it is in the first place?

Once you do understand the numbers to watch, you can then figure


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out what areas of your business need to be worked on. These basic figures of your business then give

clear purpose and meaning to your planning and goal setting sessions and lead to effective strategies to

improve the overall productivity of your business and save you valuable time!

Seek advice from your accountant but just a few figures that are beneficial to know are:

o Your number of customerso Your average customer spendo The number of times your customers do business with you in a yearo The number of referrals your customers give you

Systems For Events (Expos, Markets, Networking Functions, Client Events)

Be prepared have your paperwork/demonstration product/stock/business cards/flyers readyin advancetop up your product/paperwork after each event have it all in the same place so

you can be in action at a moments notice

Have a what to take to an event listin a readily available location so you can check it off beforeyou set out

With client information packs be sure to have a list of what you need to include, set up aproduction line of the contents and compile in bulk quantities

For those of you in a Business that involves events/appointments in someone elses home, besure the person knows what time you will be spending thereand stick to your departure time

Be punctual for appointments For those of you who conduct any sort of events with clients create a procedure document for

it along with a document outlining what resources you need for it

Document details of any Client Rewards/Recognition/Referral programmes you may have Create a system and document procedures for ordering, packaging and delivery of your goods or

services

Take the time now to assess what supportive systems,

procedures and tools can be added into your current

business operations. Know that by doing so, you are

helping to free up time to be spent as you please!


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Step 6Organize Your Communications

It goes without saying that clear lines of communication are crucial in business. While most business

owners will acknowledge this, you will probably know from your own negative experiences that this is

an area that can be greatly improved.

Communication Systems

Whatever communication method you use with your clients or team , be sure to have an objective, a

template and a documented procedure for it - which includes a follow up process to ensure the

objective is reached.

Communication systems may include:

Newsletters Regular emails Reminders/News flashes to team/customers Meetings with team members Phone calls

Hints For Phone Use

Know what you want to say in advance note down what you want to say and get to the point Ask yourself: would a written message be more to the pointe.g. email/letter? Get a cordless phone so you not restricted to talking at your desk Where appropriate, have a pile of telephone jobs e.g. sticking labels on brochures etc that does

not detract from your concentration levels

Set yourself a goal for the number of phone calls you make each day for business creation,customer service, follow up and/or what is relevant to your business growth

Ensure your mobile phone plan has a generous phone allowance and use your car time to makecalls on a hands free device

Spend some time determining what communication

tools are suitable for your business.

What do you need to do to make them more effective

and what can you add to the mix to offer better

service to your clientele and improve your bottom

line?


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Step 7: Invest in Buying Time

Revisit Step 1 and the section on your dislikes. Make a list of jobs you can delegate or outsource. When

you do this, you not only buy extra time in your day for activities in which you excel, you also avoid the

debilitating stress brought on by involvement in tasks you dislike.

What are some examples of buying time?

Outsourcing accounts to a bookkeeper/accountant Engaging an office cleaner Using a virtual office for secretarial needs Employing a specialist to come on site and set up systems and procedures for you to

follow

Step 8: Revisit What Youve Learnt

People say that knowledge is power. In reality it is not until that knowledge is applied that power is

accessed and can then be used to bring about positive change in your life.

That said, it is important to not only read and do the exercises to reinforce the learning it is essential

to revisit what you have learnt on a regular basis and assess how well you are applying it to your life.

This will usually lead to adjustments and/or adding in the elements you had forgotten.

Take time now to make a list of the jobs you want to

outsource and begin the task of finding the right

people.

Are there any exercises that you have not yet done?

If so, go back and complete them now!


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Top 40 Tips

Keep this collection of ideas, exercises and tips close to hand and use them in conjunction with the rest

of this book to keep you on track.

You

1. Value yourself and know what is important to YOU2. Accept responsibility for your life and know you are in the drivers seat3. Control your thoughts, words and actions4. Develop a useful attitude to timetake control of yourself and what you DOwith your time5. Invest in buying time6. Know what you want to achieve and what action to take to achieve it7. Know your own best times we all have body rhythms do important thinking work when

youre most alert filing etc when you are less alert

8. Are you sleeping/watching TV too much? Save 2 hours/day and you will create 1 full month of24 hour days!

9. Minimize web surfingit can devour your time10.Travel in off peak times to avoid traffic delays11.Utilize waiting timecarry a book/work reading etc with you for those moments12.Allocate time to do nothing and just be13.Allocate time to meditate daily14.Develop a do it now mind set. Rather than put it off because its too hard handle crisis

situations and pressing tasks while still small and as soon as possible so they wont waste more

of your time and head space later.

Diary Use

15.Use your diary and a daily to-dolistwriting things down un-clutters your mind because youstop worrying about forgetting it

16.Colour code your diary to ensure balance between the important components of your life wellas your business e.g. sales, lead generation, follow up etc

Tasks

17.Plan on a daily basis18.Prioritise your jobs and tick off when completed19.Look at tomorrows jobs tonight!20.Have 5 min jobs, 10 min jobs e.g. you can confirm 2 appointments in 10 mins and 5 minutes of

filing will help reduce the pile

21.Treat your time like money. When you come home from shoppingdo you throw your 5 and10 cent pieces in the bin? 5 minutes here and there add up. This is not to imply you need to be

working every minute of the day but avoid squandering your loose change!

22.Get rid of the backlog - kick the procrastination habitdo it now!23.Use the Swiss cheese principle poke holes in the big tasks chunk it downto less daunting

tasks

24.Create blocks of time for specific tasks and then focus on that task alone (you might set days forspecific tasks)

25.Work in your work time give 100% to the activity in that time frame. Set specific times toattend to your emails rather than checking them every few minutes


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26.Attend to personal emails and calls in your breaks27.Delete joke emails or place in a file to be read later in you time28.Ask your friends to take you off their joke email groups29.Limit use of social networking sites to you time (unless it is specifically for business)

Tools

30.Streamline operations with easily duplicated systems31.Write up procedures for all tasks32.Ensure all your tools and resources are on hand for the task ahead33.Create templates for various types of letters, promotional flyers, newsletters etc

Others

34.Avoid monkeys on your back empower people to sort things out/solution search themselves35.Learn to say no evaluate where you give your time perhaps its time to cut back your

contributions?

36.Get other people to come to you for meetingssaves travel time37.Let your friends and family know your hours of work and when you can take visits etc38.Let your clients/team know what hours are best to contact you in and what is your preferred

method of communication

39.Seek professional helpoutsource where necessary

Make a list of the tips that you need to work on and

implement into your business. Work out how you

will do this and put actions in place now!


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Step 9: Seek Out Solutions

There is always someonewho can help you with any challenge you may face in your business. That may

be in the form of a friend, a business colleague, a mentor or coach or one of the many books that

available either in bookstores or libraries.

The most important thing is to be willing to change and to be open minded enough to implement new

ideas and practices.

Understand that old habits take some time to break and new habits need time to become set in place.

Therefore, be patient and be persistent.

Implement the strategies that resonate with you from these pages and ENJOY EVERY SECOND OF THE

EXTRA TIME YOU UNCOVER IN YOUR DAY!

But what minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day.

~ Benjamin Disraeli


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For more information on How To Get More Done In A Day eBooks, coaching or seminars

please phone 0411 744 767,

[email protected] or visit me at

https://www.facebook.com/AWayWithWordsbyLeonieFeatherstone
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Appendix

Table 1

Negative expressions and Positive affirmations

Negative Thought Process/Saying Positive Thought Process/Saying

There are never enough hours in the day I will be more productive with the hours in my day

We need an 8 day week Its great to have a 7 day week

Time flies too fast I will work more efficiently during my week


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Table 2

What I Value In Life

I want to:

BE Why? How will I know when I have achieved this?


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Table 3

Family Task List

Task To Be Done Description Person Responsible


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Table 4

Develop Your Own Coding System Here

Category Colour Activities


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Table 5

To-Do List

Week Beginning:

Priority Task Completed


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Table 6

Family Meal Planner

Day Meal Ingredients To Buy

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday


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Table 7

Babysitter Planner

What sort of things would be useful for my babysitter to know?

Notes For Babysitter

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.


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Table 8

Like and Dislike Chart

Task Like Dislike


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Table 9

Dislike Solutions Chart

Task Challenge Solution Upside of Solution


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Table 10

Monthly Action Plan For.

Self

What areas do I feel I

need to improve upon?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Have I allocated time for family

activities? What do I want to do

as a family this month?

Have I allocated time for ME?

What do I want to do for me

this month?

Have I allocated adequate time for business

this month? Mark in diary now!

1. 1. Sales?

2. 2. Securing New Business?

3. 3. Administration?

4. 4. Customer Service?

5. 5. Planning?

2. Sales

What areas do I feel Ineed to improve upon?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Have I planned my sales targets?

Standard? Leveraged?

Do I know where my standard sales will come

from?

What do I need to do to ensure this happens?

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

Do I know where my leveraged sales will come

from?

What do I need to do to ensure this happens?

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

6 6.

7. 7.

8. 8.

9. 9

10. 10.


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3. Securing New Business



1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What is my new business target?

Who are my potentials? What do I need to do to ensure I secure this business?

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

Where can I look for other business leads? What do I need to do to ensure this happens?

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

4. Service



1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What Customer Service initiatives am I

implementing this month?

What do I need to do to ensure these initiatives are a

success?

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

What clients will I pay special attention to this

month?

What do I need to do to ensure these attentions are a

success?

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.


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5. Skill Development



1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What do I want to do this month to improve myself? What do I need to do to ensure these ideas are carried

out?

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

6. 6.

7. 7.

8. 8.