As a business owner, you know that productivity is key. You want to be more productive…but there are actually a ton of misconceptions about productivity!
We’re going to talk about three of the most common misconceptions and how you can defeat them. Honestly? It’s all in the planning.
Plan for productivity. Plan to cross everything off of your to do list. Plan to spend time with the people you love.
Let’s go ahead and get started!
Three Common Misconceptions About Productivity
Being productive is incredibly important in any business.
But with these misconceptions about productivity, you might be missing out on opportunities to grow.
Misconception #1: Focus Hard Enough & You’ll Be More Productive
If you can just block out all those distractions, you’ll be productive, right? All you have to do is turn those notifications off and zero in.
Sorry to say: while minimizing your distractions definitely helps, it’s NOT a perfect solution.
Giving something your full attention is great, but are you focused on the right tasks? Or are you wasting time on tasks that could have been streamlined?
The idea of focusing on ONE thing is actually one of the most common misconceptions about productivity. Giving a task your attention is certainly part of the equation, but it doesn’t work on its own!
There are many other factors involved when it comes to building productive habits. Some may be helping you, but others may be holding you back.
One of the most important factors is directing your focus where it can be best utilized.
Figure out what your standard operating procedures are for your business. Give your focus to the most important strategic objectives at the moment. Everything else can wait!
Misconception #2: Do Work For Clients Before Working On Your Own Business
Have you ever put off working on your own business to focus on work for your clients? Have you found yourself with no time at all to devote to your business?
A lot of times, we focus so heavily on one type of task that we neglect a whole other part of our list. But you need to be able to balance and prioritize!
You’re basically experiencing Parkinson’s Law. If you have time available, work will expand to fill it. Even if you’ve scheduled time to work on your business, client work is often never-ending.
One way to avoid workload creep is by time-blocking your day. This gives you defined times to do client work and keeps them separate from your private work.
But in order for this to be effective, you have to do it the right way!
Be super clear on your priorities for the day. Get top-priority activities out of the way first thing in the morning. Schedule your day with time blocks—do things for your own business first.
Misconception #3: Flexibility Is 100% Essential
Another common misconception about productivity is that you have to be flexible all the time.
Sure, sometimes things don’t go the way you planned. Someone in your family gets sick or your computer stops working.
A certain measure of flexibility is important, but don’t let it turn into an excuse.
When you start to relax your boundaries, the lines between your work and personal life blur. Don’t cancel that date night. Don’t miss your child’s basketball game.
If you’re too flexible with your work, you miss out on those little moments that matter. Know what is non-negotiable for you.
Plan your work schedule around the important things in your life. If you have events for your kids or time for you and your partner, put them on your calendar. Make time for your clients around that.
Avoiding These Misconceptions About Productivity Will Boost Your ROI
Avoid these common misconceptions about productivity to improve your ROI. When you’re productive and on top of everything, making time to track your metrics is easy.
It also lets you know what areas of your business need a little extra attention so you can spend your time effectively!
Examine Website Traffic
Website traffic is one of the most important metrics to monitor. It will tell you how effective each of your specific marketing campaigns are.
If you’re running a campaign around something intangible, like brand awareness, website traffic metrics give you a tangible way to gauge its efficacy.
And if your direct traffic is increasing, you know your efforts are working!
Google Analytics is one of the best tools out there for keeping an eye on your website’s metrics. You can see how each specific page on your website is performing.
Website traffic on its own doesn’t tell you everything you need to know. You should pair it with other metrics, like on-site engagement or unique visitors. This gives you more meaningful data to work with.
See Whether You’re Effectively Generating Leads
So, your marketing activity has boosted your website traffic. Great!
All of the traffic in the world won’t help you if it’s not converting. Knowing the quality and quantity of your leads will allow you to determine your marketing ROI.
It’s easy to measure quantity. You can clearly determine an uptick in the number of leads you’re capturing.
Tracking their quality can be a little trickier, but it provides more useful data. Google Analytics can also help you figure out your lead quality, by using their Funnel Visualization tool.
Knowing the quality and quantity of your leads shows you how well your marketing campaign is working.
Are you generating leads that convert and buy? Those leads are more valuable than a whole bunch of leads that lurk and don’t purchase.
Now that you know these common misconceptions about productivity, you know how to avoid falling into their traps.
Not everything works for everyone. Figure out what productivity tips help you be a more effective business owner. Then go out there and seize the day!