Stop Wasting Time and Start Making Money
Copyright (c) 2009 Merlyn Sanchez
SMART Business Owners
http://www.smartbusinessowners.com/blog

As the saying goes, “time is money,” so wasting time is wasting
money. And who can afford to do that, especially in today’s
economy?

Here are five pitfalls that many business owners and solo
professionals fall into that can severely hamper their
productivity and cost them profits. Do any of the following sound
familiar?

1. Trying To Do It All

The days of multi-tasking are long gone. Studies now document
what many people have known for years: trying to do it all slows
you down and increases mistakes. Just because you know how to do
it doesn’t mean you should. If you’re trapped in the mindset
that “it’s easier (or faster, or done better, etc.) if I do it
myself,” snap out of it and start delegating!

2. Not Having Systems In Place

When you are ready to start delegating, having systems will make
it much easier. Systems will also make it easier to keep your
business running if you need to be away, and will maximize your
return on the time that you do invest in your business. Look at
the following areas and see if you have the systems in place to
make your efforts more effective: marketing, customer service,
bookkeeping/accounting and order processing.

3. Being Busy But Not Productive

When you’re busy doing a lot of things, such as making phone
calls, checking email and putting out fires, you can fall into
the trap of thinking you’re actually being productive. However,
if you’re just engaging in “busy work” and working without a
plan then you’re wasting time. Being productive means you are
accomplishing something and using your available time to its best
use.

4. Getting Distracted

It doesn’t matter whether you work at home or in an office,
interruptions and distractions will happen. The real question is
whether you are the one initiating or welcoming them when they
do. Interruptions and distractions are a procrastinator’s best
friends! If you’re the problem, then you need to deal with why
you’re avoiding certain tasks.

5. Staying Too Connected

We’re being inundated with tools and technologies designed to
improve our lives and instead they’re complicating them! Email,
for example, has long been a big time waster. But now we have
“smart” phones so we can check email (just can’t get away from
the Inbox), check the news, text, instant message, surf the web
or play games, 24/7. The options are almost endless! Whether
you’re concentrating on working or relaxing, learn to manage
these tools and take a break when you need to.

If you’ve fallen prey to any of these common time wasters,
identify the biggest time thief and start dealing with it.
Addressing just one of these habits could give you several more
hours to spend on the key business activities that will bring in
the clients and money you desire.

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Merlyn Sanchez, Business Coach and Marketing Consultant, teaches
small business owners, consultants, and other solo professionals
how to attract more clients, make more sales and have more time
to enjoy their lives. For a free report outlining the
“8 Strategies that SMART Business Owners Use to Attract More
Clients(tm)” and additional tips on how to create a successful
business, visit http://www.smartbusinessowners.com/blog