5 ways entrepreneurs can boost their productivity

Founding your own business can be one of the most exciting ways you can change your career trajectory. Moving into entrepreneurship is a big step that can mean big rewards if you approach the undertaking intelligently. Whether you are looking to create a steady income stream, enjoy the satisfaction of getting your ideas out there, or just love the idea of working for yourself, entrepreneurship is a fantastic choice.

However, it can be difficult to know how you can keep up the momentum as a new entrepreneur. How can you keep your productivity steady even when you might be feeling a little burned out? Don’t worry - we have collected the five best ways you can boost productivity as an entrepreneur - giving yourself a better chance of long term success.

1.Get into a routine

Working for yourself might be a big challenge in and of itself to begin with. Stepping away from the regular nine to five can be a big shift for people, so take some time to acknowledge this and think about how you can best deal with that.

While your new adventure will give you more freedom, don’t mistake flexibility for a complete lack of structure. Set up a routine for yourself every day - it might not be a normal eight-hour workday, but breaking down your day into tasks that need to be done, and scheduling breaks, is a good way to ensure that you can focus and enjoy greater productivity.

2.Set achievable goals

As an entrepreneur, you are already shooting for the moon. But don’t make every part of your business plan or the daily running of your business some enormous goal that must be met. Setting smaller, achievable goals can help you to feel like you are getting somewhere - if not every day, then at least every week.

Don’t forget to reward yourself when you do achieve a goal, or take a moment to celebrate it, as this will encourage you to keep achieving. While it is a great thing to have large overall goals as a business, you should break these down into smaller tasks and goals and take them step by step.

3.Create some boundaries - and stick to them!

In the early days of your entrepreneurship, it can be difficult to know how to create positive working patterns. One of the most vital ways to do this is by creating healthy boundaries. There are many ways in which you should look at creating boundaries. If you are working with others, make it clear whose tasks are whose, and to what extent you will be involved in one another’s work. You should also make sure that any clients understand what you are offering them, and where your boundaries lie there. This will help you to focus on your own area and boost productivity.

You should also create boundaries for yourself when it comes to how you handle your own workload. Some tasks will need to be computer or phone-based, but not all work requires you to be “extremely online”. Look at which tasks you can perform without being distracted by apps and the dinging of emails, and give yourself some time each day to perform them away from the online sphere. Doing this may allow you to be more creative and focused on the task at hand.

4.Learn to delegate

When you are the founder of a business, you are often “doing it all”, especially when you first start out. You have to learn a whole host of new skills in order to ensure that your venture gets off the ground and runs smoothly. Everything, from administrative tasks and marketing to finances and meetings with potential clients, customers or investors, falls to you. Yet as your business grows, you may find yourself being stretched too thin. It turns out that nobody can truly do it all, not in the long term.

Take stock of which tasks you can delegate to others - if you have a business partner or staff member, talk to them about which tasks you can share or which they can take off your hands. If you are a one-person operation without the budget for a full-time staff member, a virtual assistant could be a great idea for you. You can hire virtual assistants for as much or as little time as you need, with many being fully flexible. This can be a fantastic, financially viable option for those small administrative tasks or social media work. This will help you focus on your own strengths and doing the higher-level tasks.

5.Remember to relax

In an increasingly digital world, you may find that you struggle to set boundaries not only in your working life but in how this bleeds into your personal life. You may find yourself checking emails on Christmas Day, or taking a call when you’re meant to be enjoying a break. These might feel like essential allowances that all business professionals make, but that isn’t the case. The best and most successful entrepreneurs know the importance of relaxing intelligently. Make sure that you take the time to “switch off”, even when you feel you can’t.

Taking some time away from your working life will help you to truly unwind, giving you the chance to come back to it with fresh ideas and more enthusiasm - which means more productivity. Remember that it isn’t always the amount of time you put in, but the quality of it. “Work smarter not harder” might be a cliche, but it’s true… and this includes taking time to rest and recharge.

Are you feeling more confident about your ability to boost productivity for yourself and your business? With these handy hints, you should be able to increase your commitment and feel less overwhelmed by the tremendous task at hand. If you want even more tips and tricks on how to thrive as an entrepreneur, subscribe to the Limecube blog. We have a wealth of knowledge and advice on offer that you can access easily - helping you to become the best you can be and achieve your entrepreneurial dreams.