How to Be Happy, Productive, and Profitable in 4 Easy Steps
We all want to be happy. And productive. And profitable. But that can be difficult while building and bootstrapping a small business and trying to live your life. Here are four steps to help you be happy, productive and highly profitable on your entrepreneurial journey:
1. Focus on the right things
You will spend your time and money on something. Make them the right things. Create an action plan for the week and choose the things that will bring the best results in the shortest amount of time. How do you do that? Calculate the ROI (return on investment) before spending a single minute of your valuable time, energy, and money on anything.
2. Manage your time
Every day, before you close up shop, choose three priority items that you commit to completing the next day. Again, select the items that will have the biggest impact on your business – the ones that will move you toward meeting your goals the fastest. It’s easy to get bogged down in minutia that makes very little impact. By choosing just three priorities for the day, you're more likely to actually get them done. And just imagine what you'd accomplish in the next year if you completed three priority tasks every day, five days a week.
3. Have a marketing plan
Instead of trying different marketing strategies in a willy-nilly fashion, create a clear marketing plan and follow it. Success is about doing the RIGHT things over and over – not chasing the next big idea. Create a plan, follow your plan, track your efforts, and then correct course as needed.
4. Keep calm and carry on
This phrase originates from World War II when the British government used it to raise morale in citizens. It applies to us, too. One of the most important things (maybe the most important thing) we can do to be successful is to carry on. So, when things get crazy or you feel like giving up... Take five deep breaths. Spend a minute in meditation. Close your eyes and clear your mind. Laugh! Water your plants. Do twenty jumping jacks. Sing out loud. Express gratitude. Just keep calm and carry on. :)