On the weekends I review what I have accomplished during the week and plan my activities for the following week. Over the years, I have found that scheduling and prioritizing tasks makes all the difference in the effectiveness of my efforts.
On Friday, Ali Brown, founder and CEO of the dynamic multimillion dollar enterprise Ali International LLC, posted the following quiz. It's excellent. My suggestion would be that you take it and be very honest with yourself when you do.
If you find yourself squirming when answering some of the questions, you may want to makes the necessary changes so that next time you take the quiz, you won't squirm. Janet
"QUIZ:
How Productive Are You?"
Submitted by Ali
Brown on January 21, 2011 - 9:51am
Take
the quiz and find out! And as you answer each question, be truly
honest with yourself. Your answers can shed a light on your weak
spots, and help you determine where you have room for growth. For each statement below, choose the best answer.
1. The very first thing I do when I sit down at my desk to work is:
A. Go over my priorities for the day and/or week
B. Check my email
C. Catch up on any leftover work from the day before
D. Sip my coffee and read today's headlines
2. My workspace can best be described as:
A. "Tidy", papers filed away, with only the day's projects out to review
B. "Creative", half-finished projects on the floor, messy in a charming way
C. "Zen-like", no papers in sight, except for my planner and my timer
D. "In progress", right now it's my dining table, and my papers are kept in another room
3. If I were to estimate the amount of time I spent on Facebook & Twitter, for WORK, I would say that I use it everyday for:
A. 2 hours total
B. 4 hours total
C. 1 hour total
D. Not sure how much time I spend on social media
4. Here's how I tend to get most of my work done:
A. In blocks of time, where I know I work best
B. I'm deadline driven, so I usually get productive at the last minute, as needed
C. I have a tight schedule and knock off assignments as I've planned it
D. I usually take advantage of moments when I feel like working
5. When I delegate a task, this is what usually happens:
A. I usually just hand them the project up front, and try to manage/improve things as we work together
B. I don't necessarily save any time, because I like to keep close tabs on what the person is doing
C. I end up doing it myself because no one does it the way I want
D. I take a hands-free approach. I might not LOVE the results, but at least I have more time to enjoy my life
6. For the most part, my pace at work feels:
A. Productive, I usually feel good about how I spend each day
B. Inconsistent, if I have a chaotic few days, I give myself a holiday the next day
C. Overwhelming, I never feel like there is enough time to get it all done
D. Slow, I have a hard time staying focused and take a lot of breaks
7. When I feel stressed at work, I:
A. Take a 10 to 20 minute break, and come back to my desk and refocus
B. I allow myself to shut down, and leave my desk until I feel better about things
C. Push through it. Even though I know it's not my best work, I get it OFF my list
D. I'm not sure how I handle stress
8. I want to be the kind of entrepreneur who:
A. Always works solo, no employees, and maybe just an accountant
B. Is very hands-on with my team and helps with all tasks from the ground up
C. Is like a manager, with clear-cut deadlines and roles assigned to everyone
D. Has set up an automated business, where 90 % of the work is delegated
Mostly As = A rare breed! You have a clear understanding of what you want and NEED to get done, and you use your time wisely to maximize results. You could probably benefit from outsourcing and delegating a few more things, so you free up your time to focus on big-picture vision type of work. Save your mental energy on money making strategies for your business.
Mostly Bs = Creative and impressionable. You usually work through a few key items on your to-do list, but are easily derailed by interruptions, people, and your emotions. You could benefit from managing your reactive tendencies, and setting clear short-term goals for yourself so you stay on track.
Mostly Cs = Control freak! This is a danger zone, because you might FEEL busy every day, but it's likely you are spending your time on the little things, rather than the big-ticket priorities that are KEY to growing your business. You must practice the art of letting go, so you can leverage other people's talent and tap into your own creative flow. You might run a tight ship, but your job as a business owner is to navigate your team to success, not sink your business with petty detail-overload.
Mostly Ds = Loosey goosey. Okay, my guess is that you are treating your business like a hobby. Or, you are just starting out and are not used to managing your own time. It can be tricky to learn how to structure your days and find the discipline to be your own boss. If you are serious about becoming a successful business owner, you must remember your #1 priority is to make money, and that one main goal should be your guiding light every day. Once you get clear on your business's objective, you can start incorporating time management and productivity strategies.
Successful entrepreneurs already understand that the #1 skill you MUST learn as a business owner is to prioritize your time for best results. If you just spotted your weak spots when it comes to your personal productivity, then I invite you to join me for a FREE call I'm hosting Thursday, January 27 at 8pm (EST). It's called "Millionaire Time & Productivity Secrets", and I'll be sharing with you MY personal protocols, strategies, and habits for maximizing your time as an entrepreneur.
My clients and colleagues have been asking me to cover this topic for quite some time, so I'm excited to be sharing my personal strategies and time-saving formulas with you. I hope you join me! All are welcome to attend. Sign up for the FREE call here.
© 2011 Ali International, LLC
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Self-made entrepreneur and Inc. 500-ranked CEO Ali Brown teaches women around the world how to start and grow profitable businesses that make a positive impact. Get her FREE weekly articles and advice at www.AliBrown.com
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