Being an entrepreneur is challenging, and running a business can be grueling. I find that a business runs much more smoothly if you incorporate a purpose-driven productivity system into the operations. What do I mean by that?
When you began building your business, I’m sure that you envisioned yourself with more control of your own destiny– not answering to a boss.
You believed that you would be able to have the freedom to work at your own pace, and enjoy life on your schedule.
You thought that there would be less stress.
So, you started.
Then reality hit.
Now, you find yourself working harder than ever; keeping a balanced cash flow has been a challenge; finding clients is always a top priority, and having less free time than before you started. You wake up to find your business is controlling your life.
If this scenario looks and feels familiar, you are not alone. I experienced the same situations as I began our business. However, I found a solution to this dilemma. I created the Purpose Driven Productivity System—a system I use in our business. Every year. Every quarter. Every month. Everyday.
Here are 3 reasons why I created the Purpose Driven Productivity System:
My business was beginning to stall.
When projects aren’t completed in a timely manner, you start losing money. I found myself with three projects that I could not get wrapped up because the clients were not providing me with the information I needed to complete my work. This cut into my ability to add new projects, because I didn’t have time available. I had to turn down work. This cut into my profits.
I found myself scrambling.
Instead of nurturing new leads and converting leads into clients, I was finishing overdue projects. Lesson learned. Now, not only do I write my contracts differently, I have created a time commitment framework that allows me to more effectively utilize my time. Clients have deadlines that I will not work past unless some dire emergency arises.
I felt scattered trying to solve the needs of many clients.
It was hard to stay focused, productive and efficient. I felt like I was constantly putting out fires for others. I had no time to work on my own business.
As an entrepreneur, without that golden parachute, it’s very important to set goals that drive your business forward and which leads to the profits you need for your lifestyle. This also means using your time wisely.
The Purpose-Driven Productivity System is comprised of two components
Defining the vision.
Every business has a purpose. It’s what you do to make an impact. Everyone needs a system to make choices wisely while accomplishing this vision. Determining which opportunities to pursue is foundational to continue moving toward your vision.
Disciplined implementation.
The goal of the program is to follow a productive implementation system that keeps your business on a positive-growth trajectory with accelerated profits. If you want to be successful in business, you need to start treating your time as a valuable resource. Productivity isn’t a way of eliminating work, rather, it’s a way of getting more out of the work you do
Working in 90-day cycles allows you to focus on a specific purpose that you can build on during the next 90-day cycle. Working in 90-day increments keeps you motivated on building your business as you provide service and value to your clients. If your long-term vision is to build a highly profitable business, you’re going to be juggling a lot of pieces as you start. Setting small goals that can produce significant impact allow you to build on your success and sustain long-term positive-growth.
Here’s the secret to this system: Focused Simplicity.
- We start by reviewing the previous annual year with an After-Action Review process to clarify the business vision moving forward.
- Using our STAR Goal Setting System™ you define the business annual vision and goals.
- Each quarter of the calendar year, you choose 1 over-arching goal to be reached in the 90-day cycle which brings you closer to accomplishing your annual vision.
- In this 90-day cycle, you further delineate what you will accomplish on a monthly basis, 2-week basis and daily basis, to meet this goal in a step by step process
Using this system, you learn:
- How to see your big picture and break it down into step by step implementation.
- How to ensure Time-Saving Success
- Why you need to spend your time completing high-payoff activities.
- How to prioritize and manage your “To Do” list.
Want to boost your productivity and keep motivated all year long? I have created an online 4-part do-it-yourself-guidebook, GET THINGS DONE THAT MATTER. We take a deep dive into your current work systems and see how they align with your long-term vision. Are they moving you forward at the pace that you want? Through this process we transform how you plan your strategies so that there is continuous movement forward. Then we creatively streamline your workflow so that each day you build on the work you did before. The 4 video sessions and accompanying workbook take you through the sequence of establishing an effective goal setting and time management system. Each quarter is a stepping stone to use as a foundation for the subsequent quarter. It’s a constructive process, that can be replicated for each new 90-day sprint.