If you want to create more impact as an entrepreneur, start with yourself. Self-care is a crucial component of your business’s success. As a productivity coach, I work with clients to help them overcome feelings of guilt and embarrassment when it comes to taking time off. If you view self-care as something that happens only when the workday is over, you’re missing out.
Effectively managing your time and energy can mean the difference between being energized and being exhausted. Regular lunch breaks, coffee breaks, and vacations aside, there are ways to take care of yourself while in the office. Here are three key areas you’ll want to pay close attention to on a regular basis for self-care success.
Make mornings work for you.
Do you tend to reach for your cell phone the moment you wake up? Give yourself time every morning without being connected to your smartphone. Doing so will allow you to warm up to the day and prepare for what’s ahead.
To that end, try using an alarm clock or watch instead of your phone. Keep your phone outside of the bedroom or on the other side of the room so that you must get out of bed to retrieve it. Once you’re up, follow your existing self-care routine. That might be exercising, walking the dog, getting children ready, bathing, dressing, or having breakfast and your favorite hot beverage of choice.
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Now, this isn’t to say you can’t consult your phone during the morning. There may be times when it is necessary, but at least give yourself a reprieve from your phone when you wake from your nightly slumber.
Protect your time at all costs.
There are tasks in your business that only you can work on. You’ll need every bit of your full attention and concentration for this work. So, if you’ve been freely giving up your scheduled work time to others, be it staff or vendors, you’ll need to pull back. You can consider this a long-overdue calendar reset for yourself.
Start right at the source: Schedule a few hours of non-negotiable work time for yourself directly into your digital calendar or paper planner. Ask your assistant not to schedule any events or meetings during this time. Remind key staff and employees as to when you’ll be unavailable throughout the week.
The next step is to show up and work with purpose. Choose a handful of small tasks or a larger task to tackle during this time. Do whatever you need to stay focused. Temporarily silence your phone, log out of unnecessary apps, and remove physical clutter. When you dedicate time to work on what matters, the work will get done.
Avoid working on more things.
Entrepreneurship can be exciting, but it can also be draining. That’s why it’s important to pace yourself at the end of the workday and practice self-care. Remember, this is about your long-term business success, not how fast you can burn out.
Instead of jumping on to the next task at the end of your day, take a few moments to complete a thoughtful daily review of your work. Aim to finish up the bulk of your main work at least half an hour in advance. Turn your focus to the bigger picture. Given your daily goals, where does your work currently stand?
For starters, you can try asking yourself these three questions:
Which tasks did I complete today?
What is the status of my remaining tasks?
Which tasks need to be rescheduled for tomorrow or the day after?
Closing your day with this exercise might seem completely unnecessary. However, the proof is in the pudding. In time, you’ll begin to see how this exercise can set the next day’s work up for success. Not only will you gain a better understanding of your work, but you’ll have a clearer mind as you transition to your evening routine at home.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
The pace of the modern workplace can really pick up speed these days with all our digital ways of getting things done. Finding ways to work efficiently is more important than ever.
It’s important we take a look at the tools that can help make our jobs a little less hectic.
Let’s discuss some options that could help streamline how we work and boost our productivity.
Knowing what’s out there can really help us save time and energy for what matters most.
1. OnPay
OnPay helps with handling payroll and all things HR. It looks like it takes the complicated stuff, like payroll, taxes, and benefits, and streamlines it through solid automation.
Employees probably love the self-service portal too – it gives them easy access to their info and builds more transparency. As a business, it takes compliance worries off your plate since OnPay keeps up with changing tax rules. That’s a big relief!
I can see why HR loves OnPay. Connecting with other accounting and time-tracking tools lets them spend more time on growth plans versus paperwork.
Pretty cool that it pulls everything together in one handy place. If you’re looking for ways to simplify processes and comply with everything, OnPay sounds like it deserves a good look. If you want to learn more about this one, click here.
2. Respona
Respona is really helpful for teams doing a lot with link-building and PR campaigns. It automates the whole outreach process from finding new contacts to sending follow-up messages.
I like that it has a built-in search tool to efficiently uncover people to engage with. And keeping email addresses accurate as you communicate saves a lot of headaches later on.
The automation is probably a lifesaver for PR teams. Instead of spending hours on routine tasks, they can focus their energy on creative content and strategy. No wonder it boosts productivity and campaign success!
For agencies with multiple clients, Respona’s tools must be a dream come true. Being able to execute precise campaigns across the board with minimal manual work would save so much stress. Definitely one tool I’d recommend checking out.
3. ProofHub
ProofHub looks like it could be great for teams juggling lots of different projects at once. Having all your task and project management in one central place must streamline everything.
I like that it offers tools for delegating work, setting timelines, and tracking hours. That level of organization probably helps everyone stay accountable and on schedule.
Customizing workflows and visual task views seem perfect for managers to spot where things are backing up and redistribute work smoothly. Communication and file sharing features also keep important info flowing between team members.
Keeping all projects coordinated without overwhelm is so important. ProofHub sounds like it could really help project teams stay aligned on objectives without losing sight of the details. Definitely one tool worth checking and demoing if you want all your project management in one helpful hub.
4. Shift
The Shift is a real game-changer for the way we navigate the digital world. Instead of hopping between a million different sites and apps, it brings everything together in one slick interface.
I can see how the search and calendar tools would make tasks way more seamless without constant tab switching. Organizing your tools into focused “workspaces” probably cuts out a ton of clutter and prevents distractions too.
For folks who rely on various software daily, Shift’s centralization could be a huge timesaver. No more minutes wasted moving between programs – everything’s streamlined in one place.
It’s like Shift revolutionizes how we manage our online lives. Having all accounts and resources so neatly organized has to seriously boost productivity. For anyone drowning in tabs or apps, this sounds like it’s really worth a look.
5. Todoist
Todoist is one of the best tools for wrangling all your work into order. With it, you can build custom task lists, adjust priority levels, and categorize projects to stay on top of daily duties and long-term goals.
I know workflow is key – that’s why Todoist integrates with tons of other apps so well. Bounce between devices and programs without missing a beat. One place to manage everything is clutch.
Whether you’re working solo or on a massive team, Todoist’s intuitive layout and options make it extremely versatile too. The app speaks your language no matter what kind of tasks you face.
Complex schedules got you down? Todoist helps you break projects into bite-sized pieces that feel totally manageable. Finally getting organized is such a game-changer for productivity – and Todoist makes it a breeze.
6. Trello
Trello is such a cool way for teams to map out projects visually. With its boards and card setup, you can effortlessly track progress by dragging tasks between columns as milestones are hit.
I like that setting up boards keeps everything neatly organized by project too. The automation features are clutch – things like automatic reminders and status updates save so much time.
Can you imagine how much smoother meetings must go when issues are right there on the board? No confusion about where things stand. Collaborating in real-time has to make the process way more engaging.
If you want a simple, visual tool that streamlines project tracking without all the fuss, Trello is an amazing pick. I can see why it’s beloved by so many teams.
7. Slack
Slack has totally changed the game for how teams connect and share info. Instead of endless email chains and meetings, it pulls all your conversations into one handy place that’s simple to search.
I love how it lets you split into channels based on topic too. Direct messages are great for private chats. And wow, being able to connect apps must take collaboration to the next level.
No more digging for that snippet someone said last week. With Slack, important discussions and quick updates live right at your fingertips. That kind of accessibility has to streamline workflows like nothing else.
It’s easy to see why Slack is such a go-to in today’s workplace. Whether you’re debating details or sharing status checks, it supports natural communication in ways that boost productivity for good. An absolute must-have for modern teams!
8. Asana
Asana is a super helpful way for teams to stay synced on all their projects. You can craft detailed to-do lists, set timelines, and delegate work – keeping tabs on tasks is that much smoother.
I like that you can customize the workflows too. That level of flexibility probably helps projects run extra smoothly. Tracking progress is key for keeping everyone accountable.
Managers must love how Asana gives clear visibility into where things stand. No more guessing if delays are creeping in. Just make sure everyone’s on the same page.
Coordinating teams can feel like herding cats some days. Asana’s tools look perfect for maintaining that alignment and driving true collaboration. When you need rock-solid project management, this one is a no-brainer.
9. Google Workspace
Google Workspace is incredible for taking teamwork to the next level. With apps like Gmail, Drive, Docs, and Calendar all connected, collaborating is seamless.
Sharing files and scheduling meetings between teams is effortless. And I love that Workspace lets you access everything from anywhere – talk about flexibility!
The interface is super intuitive too. No learning curves there. And those collaboration perks have to seriously optimize how businesses operate.
When streamlining is the name of the game, Google Workspace is unbeatable. Foster that cooperative spirit while boosting productivity. Yes, please! If you want powerful yet easy tools for teams, this is the suite for you.
I love that you can capture any type of info from scribbles to web pages. Talk about an all-in-one brain dump! Having important stuff so easily searchable is such a time-saver too.
Maybe you’re someone who’s always scrambling to find that one note. Or always starting projects from scratch since your files are buried. Evernote puts an end to that madness for good.
Productivity and efficiency are within reach when you can rely on Evernote to be your trusted second brain.
The Bottom Line
This Image Is Generated by Midjourney
Picking the right work tools is so important these days when everything moves a million miles an hour.
The apps mentioned really do make adapting much easier.
Each one offers unique ways to smooth out processes, foster teamwork, and optimize how you spend your time.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
A recent study says the average worker receives 304 business emails a week. The average employee checks their email 36 times an hour, and 80% of workers simply resort to working with their inbox open all the time. Thereafter, it takes them around 16 minutes to refocus.
We live in a world full of different ideas, people and businesses all vying for our attention. Nearly every app, website and company wants the same thing: your email address. This has turned our inboxes into a battleground between time-sensitive emails, valuable information and occasionally fun but useless messages.
For entrepreneurs, effective communication is vital to the success and livelihood of your business. Receiving a torrent of emails is the new normal. Trying to read each one might feel like trying to drink water out of a fire hose.
Productivity expert Merlin Mann saw this coming in 2006 when he coined the term “inbox zero.” Some have erroneously thought this to be advocacy for constantly checking and going through your emails every time you hear that distinctive ping. But according to Mann, the zero isn’t about reducing the number of emails in your inbox, but the amount of time your brain is in your inbox.
Let’s look at how to reduce the stress brought on by the near-constant onslaught of emails in our modern world.
1. Create a system
The goal of “inbox zero” is to increase productivity. There are few more deadly productivity killers than the practice of constantly checking and replying to emails all throughout the day.
An estimated 62% of all emails are unimportant. Therefore, increasing productivity is a matter of reducing the amount of time you spend sifting through the unimportant. Creating a system for how and when you view your emails is crucial.
Set specific times that you view emails. Perhaps once at 8 a.m., once again at noon and one more time at 4 p.m. You could even designate certain contacts as VIPs to ensure that you receive their critical email ping at whatever time of day it comes in.
As Stephen Covey wrote, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
No one knows better what your priorities are than you do. The average worker spends 28% of the workweek reading and responding to emails. As you peruse your emails at those designated times, take note of important emails that require your instant approval or sign-off, and those heftier emails that require thoughtful input and analysis. More on those later.
But then there are the emails scheduling meetings, sending promotional content or simply cc’ing you in. Either move them to another folder, delegate them to your secretary or just delete them. Make the firm decision. Differentiate between what deserves your attention and what is stealing it away. In that same vein, unsubscribing from useless newsletters can make a world of difference.
3. Defer
“It’s not enough to be busy; so are the ants,” says Henry David Thoreau. “The question is: What are we busy about?”
Effective communication boosts productivity. When emails have to consume your time, ensure that it’s worth it.
As we’ve already established, the majority of emails aren’t worth your time. Some are important but don’t need to take up much of your time. But there are a few that demand and deserve your attention. You can usually tell when you receive it. Instead of allowing that sinking feeling to settle and dominate your thinking all day, move them into a designated folder for your most important emails. Reply to them when you can dedicate the mental bandwidth they desire and deserve.
And remember what Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important.”
I’ve alluded to this already, but here it is plainly: Many newsletters and subscriptions are a waste of time. It’ll take a while initially to achieve it, but going through your inbox and unsubscribing from useless newsletters will go a long way in decluttering your inbox.
One useful way of ensuring that your important mailbox remains unsullied would be to create a spam email address to ensure that all your spur-of-the-moment sign-up emails are redirected to an unimportant email address. An estimated 245 billion emails are sent every day. Make sure you only have to deal with the important ones.
5. Be flexible
“Inbox Zero” is about reducing mental clutter and stress to increase productivity. But only you know what optimum productivity looks like in relation to your business. If the quest to declutter becomes a drain on productivity, then it’s just as bad as a packed mailbox.
Don’t obsess over the minutiae. Instead, create good habits that allow you to be flexible. Create your own schedule, set of labels, criteria for delegation and deletion, and inbox management system that allows you to focus on productivity, eliminate pressure and a false sense of urgency. Set goals for yourself and for your business.
Follow these five tips, and you’ll be well on your way to focusing on the most high-priority tasks, staying organized and managing your mail efficiently. And most importantly, you’ll reduce the amount of time your brain is in your inbox so it can be on other, more important things.
