Five ways to keep on top of your business goals

1.    Take a break from your day-to-day grind

I know this sounds crazy, but sometimes all you really need to be productive is a day off. When you’ve been burning the candle at both ends for weeks on end, you’ll find yourself unable to do the simplest tasks without being distracted.

If your business is doing well and everything is functioning, take advantage of your position as an entrepreneur and take a day, or even just a few hours off. Watch a movie, spend time with friends or laze around in the sun. Don’t think about work for a while, when you get back to your desk, you’ll find yourself more productive, focused and energised.

2.    Set your short-term goals and work towards them

I’m sure you understand how important long term goals are for the success of your company. But to reach these long-term goals, you need to set short-term objectives. Write your objectives for the week down. Once you have an understanding of what it is that you want to achieve, you can focus on meeting those deadlines.

The most important thing to remember is to remain flexible. In business, you will face constant challenges. This might cause you to push out certain objectives. That’s why you want to remain flexible in your approach.

3.    Set a daily routine and stick to it

To maintain your focus and ward off distraction, you need to set a good routine for yourself. It is important that this routine falls in line with your productivity. Some people are more productive in the morning while others are more productive in the afternoon. So when you set your routine, make sure that you put the tasks that require the most brainpower into the time of the day when you are most productive.

Setting a routine will also help you to push aside distractions. Allocate specific times for meetings, admin and production. If you follow your routine, your employees and colleagues will know when to leave you in peace so that you can get your own work done.

4.    Use a diary to plan and set reminders

To manage your time effectively you need to know what meetings are coming and what deadlines you need to meet. So set daily reminder on your phone, in a diary or on your computer to help you keep on track of the events in your busy day.

When setting meetings, allocate the amount of time the meeting will run for. This will ensure that you don’t waste valuable time in meetings discussing irrelevant information. It is equally important to set specific themes for each meeting. You’ll know what to prepare for, what to discuss and what to avoid.

5.    Look after yourself – Eat, drink and be productive

This is probably the most important aspect you need to embrace to keep productive and focused. Look after yourself. Eat a healthy breakfast, drink lots of water, eat lunch and take bathroom breaks when you need them.

Keeping a healthy eating, drinking and break routine is the best way to keep your brain functioning at its peak. Take the time you need to prepare your meal, eat your food and go to the bathroom. This gives you a few minutes to break the monotony of work and get a few fresh ideas.

Finally, don’t lose sleep over a missed deadline. If you plan your day well, stay on top of your deliverables and focus on your deadlines, then you deserve a good night’s rest. This is not always possible but working late nights should be the exception, not the rule.

By Aiden Sookdin, Chief Communicator, BizWrite