Jen Rulon

It’s not enough to dream of success. It’s not even enough to set goals.

The only way to truly achieve your dreams and build the business you’re meant to make is to sit down and do it.

And that’s where many of us…well, fail is a strong word. But it’s the doing that trips us up more times than not.

We overbook our calendars until today’s to-dos become next week’s past dues. We procrastinate on important things while attending to items that are merely “nice to do.” And sometimes, we take on too much—even when we know better.

The answer? Embrace these five productivity hacks that top coaches use to complete more in less time.

1. Rituals and Habits: Simply put, a ritual or habit is a consistent way of doing something. You have a morning ritual (wake up, brush your teeth, work out, shower, and head to your office), evening ritual (check homework, tuck the kids in, watch the evening news, and hit the sack), weekend ritual (sleep late, mow the lawn, catch a movie, visit your mom), and many others.

If you’re not careful with your rituals, they can turn into productivity killers. Is checking Facebook or email a part of your morning ritual? Is turning on Skype a part of your at-work ritual? Distractions such as these can turn even your best intentions into wasted hours.

Take a good look at your rituals. What are you doing that you should not be—or that should be moved to another part of your day? Make your practices more efficient, and you’ll automatically get more done.

2. Calendar Management: Do you know how much time you have available for that new project? Try blocking off time in your calendar for all your existing projects. Fill in all your client calls, business administrative tasks, time for meals and breaks, outside appointments, and everything else you’re committed to. What’s left might shock you.

Make it a habit to block time in your calendar for every commitment, and you’ll never again over-promise or over-commit.

3. Learn to Let Go: Here’s a news flash. You do not have to do everything in your business. You can (and should) hand off those low-level tasks to someone else. Hire a VA to create your documents and manage your calendar. Let your tech support person manage your blog and email. Turn over your bookkeeping to an accountant. The time you free up will allow you to work on what’s truly important, which only you can do.

4. Work Hard, Play Harder: You are not a machine. Therefore, you cannot work every day and hope always to be your best.

Take a day off. Get some rest, or relax on a long, slow hike. Take a friend out to lunch. Go shopping with your kids. See a movie or a play. Do something—anything—other than work.

Not only will you return to the office feeling much more refreshed, but you’ll also find yourself more creative and productive than before.

5. Focus: Multi-tasking is impossible. You cannot efficiently create a new coaching program while simultaneously surfing Facebook, keeping an eye on the kids, and answering the phone every time it rings.

Instead, use your calendar to block time off for important tasks, then turn everything else off so you can focus. No phone, no Facebook, no kids, husbands, neighbors, or pets demanding “just a minute” of your time. Instead, tune everything out, and your work gets done much faster.

Managing your time and turning up your productivity is not something that comes naturally to most people, but when you learn to master this skill, you’ll find your business grows right along with you.

AUTHOR: Jen Rulon

I have been coaching triathletes, runners, and cyclists for over 21+ years; I received my Master's Degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science. And as you may have learned, there is more to life than swimming, biking, and running. It is a lifestyle, and I am here to help you cross that finish line with a smile, whether it is an Ironman Triathlon or the Ironman of Life. You can find my knowledge shared in Triathlete Magazine, Runners World, on the TEDx Stage, the Health and Wellness Expo in San Antonio, TX, Southwest Research Institute Human Performance Summit, Training Peaks Workshops, "Self Motivation Strategies for Women" on Amazon, Men's Journal Online, and the New York Times. I also practice what I preach—she's a 15x Ironman Triathlete who participated in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, on October 14, 2017.



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