As a small business owner or entrepreneur, there are times when you cannot afford to take a day off. You may find yourself facing burnout, growing increasingly unable to find the motivation to start tasks—let alone complete them.
Even if you do complete your responsibilities, your mental fatigue can cause you to not meet your usual performance standards.
Once you get in the slump of procrastination, you may start to feel overwhelmed by the sheer increase in the number of items on your to-do list. This type of stress is enough to make anyone be concerned about their ability to prioritize and stay productive, especially as we all tend to be even less productive when feeling panicked.
So, how do you break free of this cycle and regain your productivity?
We have compiled some productivity hacks for you to regain control over your responsibilities and continue allowing your business to grow:
- Wake up early.
This does not mean that you have to wake up at the crack of dawn to immediately tackle your responsibilities. Waking up early should be for you. Give your mind a chance to breathe before you plunge headfirst in a project, and you will be able to ground your thoughts appropriately and focus on the tasks at hand after your relaxation time is over.
- Complete one task at a time.
When your to-do list has been adding up for a while, it is tempting to answer your emails, update your company’s social media platforms, or perform other tasks that could otherwise wait. However, in order to be successful in reestablishing your productivity, you must focus on only one item at a time and complete it in full before moving to the next task. This trains your brain towards improved workload prioritization and concentration. You do not have to forget every other project for the rest of the day; instead, shell out a couple of hours to ensure that the project gets done.
- Practice self-forgiveness and self-care.
If you are still struggling to complete your designated important task of the day, reflect on why productivity is an issue on this project. Is it because you are concerned about the outcome of the project? Does it have a significant impact on the growth of your business? By practicing self-forgiveness and redirecting your attention to the task at hand without any internalized blame, you are reducing the negative associations that you have with that item on your to-do list. You will find that adjusting your thinking around your responsibilities may promote a healthier workload balance.
If you are still having issues with productivity or feel that your issue lies with lack of specialized skillset for your tasks, it may be time to hire a virtual assistant to help you knock some responsibilities off your list. Virtual assistants can increase your productivity by taking on projects and allowing you to prioritize critical business functions without the stress of additional company needs. They also can add a diverse array of skillsets to your team with which you may not currently have in-house experience.
To find out more about how virtual assistants can increase your productivity and support your business’s growth, visit us at https://lifeofautomation.com/.