It's everyone's desire to be successful. To reach that point, you have to adopt the right actions and follow them consistently. For example, it could be waking up early, reading books or whatever works to help you reach maximum productivity. It can also be adopting behaviors that supports you to achieve the desired results. Here's what entrepreneur listed as their best business habits;
#1- Creating visual roadmaps for ideas
Qualitative planning ensures business success and increases teamwork and productivity. As a business owner, I can say that nowadays it is rather difficult to manage products without clear plans and strategy and appropriate tools for these aims. My habit is to schedule everything around. In marketing, any global strategy or a separate initiative should be detailed and well planned as well. It’s better to visualize any idea at the start and multi-level marketing roadmaps are helpful for this purpose. I am used to work with roadmaps: they visualize marketing issues and helps to track each step so nothing can be lost. What can be scheduled and tracked with a roadmap in marketing? Here are some examples of marketing initiatives planned in a roadmap from my own experience: • New product launch campaign • Global rebranding campaign • Planning a conference • Participation in an exhibition • Optimization of conversion rates • Testing a new content calendar • Cross-promo campaign with partners • Creating a strategy for social media • New metrics testing, and so on. I can't say if it a habit or a professional skill, however scheduling with the help of a visual roadmap provides me with a clear picture of where and how the product will be in the future.
Thanks to Aleksander Sergeev, Hygger.io!
#2- Put First Things First
This is not my idea. The most influential business book I have ever read is not specifically a business book but applies to life in general including business. That book is the ultra-successful The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by the sadly missed Stephen Covey. The habit that has stuck with me is his Habit Number 3, Put First Things First. I have used this to identify the critical actions that I and my team need to do to push the business forward. We diarise these in advance and nothing moves them! These fit in to the category that Stephen Covey identified of Not Urgent but Important and tend to get overlooked by busy entrepreneurs. By prioritising these your business can move forward regardless of the day to day distractions.
Thanks to Robert Meredith, Sutherland Black Chartered Accountants!
#3- A daily walk before or after lunch
The one habit I maintain to be productive and help my business grow is…I go for a daily walk before or after lunch. I need that time to reboot my brain, to focus on the three goals I set for each day and take stock of where I am with them. Most importantly, it allows my brain to think creatively and objectively on issues that have either arisen during the morning or remain unresolved/ongoing. I find this daily habit to greatly improve my afternoon productivity. The simple act of getting out the office, gaining a new perspective on things and to quietly reflect, is by far and away my most productive habit.
Thanks to Alistair Dodds, Smoking Chili Media!
#4- Deal with the emails and calls immediately
My best habit is dealing with the majority of emails and calls immediately. Respond, answer the question or give a date by which i will respond or say thanks, close it out and delete. It helps the other person and is much quicker and more efficient for me and the few that need longer are diarised for time and action.
Thanks to Gillian Wilmot, Senet Group!
#5-Next day list
It may sound simple, but plan your tomorrows work, today. Every day before you head home from work, produce a list of things that you need to complete the following day. I've found that the best way to do this is written on paper. There are many apps and platforms to let you do this, but they can easily be dismissed or cancelled, your written list is always there. By having your ‘to-do' list on your desk first thing in the morning really focuses your mind, tick them off as you complete them and you'll see how productive your day has been.
Thanks to Damien Buxton, Midas Creative!
#6-Hour of Power to take control of your day
Before I started my own business, I was a speaker for Anthony Robbins and we were required to work out before we started our day. (I was in such great shape then!) Now, as a business owner myself, I still carry on this habit if I’m traveling. I listen to Tony Robbins “Hour of Power.” It leads you through breath walking, and visualization of your day and puts you in the best mindset! If you don’t know what your goals are and are not continuously focusing on what you want out of the day, at best you will be reacting to the day’s distractions. As an entrepreneur, you must take control of your day!
Thanks to Tamara Bunte
#7-Maximize the amount of work not done
Don't occupy yourself with work that doesn't move the needle. Understand the difference between good or urgent and significant. Get rid of tasks that do not support your core purpose or move you closer to your goal. Eliminating tasks could mean delegating them to someone else or not doing them altogether. Focus your time on your true purpose, and watch your efficacy take a quantum leap!
Thanks to Michèle Foster, Solière!
#8- Batching content
I operate a subscription community for busy parents of college bound teens. I have to balance serving the parents in the community and marketing in order to grow the community. I've found that batching content (i.e. creating a slate of content about scholarships and using scheduling software to post them on social media) has really boosted my productivity. To add, taking on a VA who edits and posts my podcast has also freed me up to generate ideas and not become bogged down in administrative tasks. Working smarter, not harder, and outsourcing are the two tips I would give to every entrepreneur.
Thanks to Treasure Shields Redmond, Get The Acceptance Letter Parent Academy!
#9- Make time for your team
As an entrepreneur it can be difficult to determine the priority of the long list of daily tasks associated with starting and running a successful business, but one thing in particular that is incredibly important yet often not taken as such is making time for your team. Being available to your employees and ensuring they feel comfortable coming to you for anything, good or bad, is something I highly recommend to any entrepreneur. Building trust with your team goes a long way, but it only works if you're humble and consistent. By making time to show your team that you care about their growth within your company and placing them into positions to succeed by providing them with a comfortable level of autonomy, it allows you to build trust and maximize potential.
Thanks to Juan Carlos Abello, Nuvola!
#10-Keeping a clean email inbox
My best business habit would be keeping a clean email inbox. Others refer to this as a zero email inbox policy. The first thing I do when I get in the office is check all of my email inboxes. The emails that are junk, I simply delete. The emails that are for my information, I file away into specific folders. The emails that I may want to save go into my starred folder. And the emails with a task or that require further thought, I let sit in my inbox until I have completed the task or gave a thoughtful response. Then I file those emails away as well. I typically do not let an email sit in my inbox for longer than 24 hours. This habit helps me to stay on top of my communications, tasks, and constantly connected with the people I need to be connected to.
Thanks to Tyler Hanna, 8-bit Rex!
#11-Group like tasks together
Jumping between different mindsets and “types” of task – be it sales, marketing, project management or customer service – isn’t an efficient way to manage your time. Instead, by gathering similar tasks together – be it into an hour, an afternoon, or a whole day – and tackling them all at once, you can be more productive and efficient as an entrepreneur. This means less time spent jumping between mindsets, and more time to dedicate to one particular “type” of task – I’ve found that this makes me much more efficient and productive as a business owner.
Thanks to Ross Davies, Strafe Creative!
#12-Evaluate how you're spending your time every 2 weeks.
Spend an hour writing down all the daily/weekly tasks and projects that you're currently handling. Go through each task and evaluate if it could be delegated to someone else based off how important it is to the growth of the company. As a business owner, you should only be spending time where you add most value to the business. Make it a habit by scheduling a recurring meeting in your calendar for every 2 weeks. Over time, you'll only be spending time where you create growth fastest. All other tasks will be handled by your team.
Thanks to Connor Gillivan, FreeeUp!
#13- The 80/20 rule
Utilizing the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 rule as effectively as possible has been my mantra in business. Who knew this Italian economist from the early 1900’s would have such an impact on both my personal and business lives. I found that about 20% of the work produced either by myself or my employees were bringing the company 80% of the desired results for most of the projects. When the light bulb went off, I realized I had to become extremely diligent about setting realistic goals for the company. Let’s cut out the noise and distractions and focus on the 20%. I had a choice – tune in or tune out. I choose the former.
Thanks to Nicholas Christensen, Lottery Critic!
#14- Time blocking
The habit that keeps me most productive in my business is time blocking. This is the act of physically putting blocks of time in my calendar for the tasks and projects that need to be done. Sometimes I have to move things around to accommodate unexpected changes, but having the time blocks keeps me from forgetting that those tasks need to be done. I also color code my time blocks, including meetings and personal time, to make sure that I'm not spending too much time in one area of the business.
Thanks to Jennifer Stewart, Gateway Productivity!
#15-Tackling the tough projects first
The number one habit that keeps me productive & therefore helps my business grow is simply tackling the most hairy and tough project at the beginning of each day. There have been numerous research done that states people are the most productive first thing in the morning, I am not different. I wake up at 6:30am, clear out my email (inbox-zero concept), make sure my team is ready to go for the day, check in where needed. By 8am, I am at the office working on the toughest project. I usually do a 1hr sprint, take a small break, then go for another 2hrs before I take my lunch. I try my best to be religious about this, never let small things bottleneck my day, especially when I have to be in the deep concentration solving a complex problem.
Thanks to Artem Volos, ClutchPrep!
#16-Relentless Focus on Execution
Looking back, there is one habit that drove my business success more than anything else. The key to growing a successful business is a relentless focus on execution. Execution is the ability to do and get results, to keep moving forward to achieve your vision and goals despite the obstacles that lay ahead. It’s the difference between dreaming and doing, and it applies equally to entrepreneurs, executives, or anyone with a dream – whether you’re a mom wanting to start a side hustle, someone just graduating from college or anyone with a dream. Execution is all about doing, so whether you are working towards a small goal or a lifelong dream, take that first step today and set your success in motion.
Thanks to Kim Perell, Amobee!
#17-Get up and get started early
Getting up early is the best way I have found to keeping my day productive. It gives you the extra time to focus before the rest of the world is up and active. By using that extra time in the morning I’m able to align my thoughts and goals more clearly and that keeps not only me, but my team on task. I don’t have to think of my actions on the fly as they were already planned out before breakfast. I also make sure to line everything up for my staffs’ goals. By rising early and setting those small daily goals, I ensure my habits help maintain productivity.
Thanks to Trushar Surge, Encore Consulting Group!
#18- Have little breaks
The mindset of a lot of Americans, especially start-up entrepreneurs, is to spend your whole day working tirelessly with little breaks or sleep. I've seen so many fellow CEOs adopt this mindset and shortly burnout. I believe in self-care and work/life balance including reading, meditation, and exercise, and I believe this mindset allows me to not only be sustained month after month but also maximize creativity.
Thanks to Sarah Perkins, DesignerShare!
#19- Tracking week over week performance
I think one of the best habits I have is tracking week over week performance. When I do that it really allows me to dial in to what’s happening, and it gives me a lot of time to head off problems and create solutions for my company. Each week I look at reports I custom made for myself in our CRM coupled with a marketing report and operation report. With all this data it gives me a good window into what’s going on at all times and what actions need to be taken to help the business grow.
Thanks to Jared Weitz, United Capital Source Inc.!
#20- Persistence
My best habit is that I am pleasantly persistent. I think as an entrepreneur you have to be comfortable being told no or turned down, you cannot let that stop you though. I have always been resilient and found ways to get back on the horse and try again with renewed energy and determination. I try to stay optimistic and kill them with kindness until I can come back and try again.
Thanks to Paige Arnof-Fenn, Mavens & Moguls!
#21-Marketing Mondays
Every Monday morning, I do what I call Marketing Mondays. My whole day is devoted to Marketing, Promos, Outreach, and Awareness for my brand. I go into my Buffer account and set up posts, quotes, and articles I find online that I want to share. I go into Canva and create ayn quotes needed for my business for Instagram and other social media. If I have time, I write my blog post for my Fabulous Fridays, especially if I know that I will not have time later in the week to write it. If I have extra time, I try to set up at least one account for the next month, so I have more time the following Monday to work on something else, like my online courses on Teachable or looking for business opportunities to speak, write, or events to attend. I look at HARO every morning, but Mondays are more of a quick skim to see if there is anything that grabs my attention. Marketing Mondays are my jam and me as a Portfolio Entrepreneur, be able to do what I do best, be me!
Thanks to Trisha Trixie, Fabulousness™!
#22-Hire for Character
I have learned through trial and error (lots of error!) that character is the single most important attribute in any job candidate. Let’s face it, for most jobs, there’s a lot of on the job training. And the work is constantly evolving. Your best people will continue to grow and take on new responsibilities. I’ve found that the best predictor for whether someone can continue to grow is their character. Are they hungry? Are they willing to learn from their mistakes? Do they fit with your company’s culture? While skills are important, skills are far easier to teach than character. Hire for character. You will not regret it.
Thanks to Jory Lange, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC!
#23- Every Sunday Night Make A List of 20 Items To Do The Next Day
I developed a habit of writing a list every Sunday Night of at least 20 Items that need to be done the next day. I don’t make them easy like “eat breakfast” it goes more like this “call three tenants whose leases are expiring within the next six months and convince them to renew their leases”. I make them impossible to complete in one day but know that they have to be done. Of the 20 items I do what I can each day, cross them off and then carry the unfinished item to the next day. As long as some “crisis” doesn’t come up I have been able to complete the 20 items by Friday.
Thanks to Julie A. Eaton, Eaton Realty Advisors, LLC!
#24- Waking up earlier
As an owner of my own law firm, there are a number of challenges each day. I used to wake up a bit later in the morning when our son would come in the room. I felt as though I was starting the day on other people’s terms (I say it in such a loving way though). Now, I get up at 5:30. The extra hour has allowed me to take control of my business and life. For example, I am able to respond to e-mails, the phone doesn’t ring yet, and I feel ahead of the game. Prospective clients and the current ones too respect that they hear from me early too.Bottom line: Take control of your day and the rest will fall into place.
Thanks to Kevin Patrick, Kevin Patrick Law, LLC!