No words of wisdom from myself today. I'll let another comment.
Bob Prosen's Tips to Get Control of Your Day
1. Determine your top priorities. There should only be three or four. Write them down, and keep them on your desk so you won't get distracted.
2. Delegate, delegate, and then delegate some more. Remember, delegation is not the same as abdication. You don't just turn your back. Stay involved at appropriate points until your goals are realized. Obviously, if you have hired smart and surrounded yourself with pros, delegating effectively is pretty easy.
3. Perform a two-day time study. Write down where you're spending your time for two days, and at the end of those two days, assess yourself:
Are you spending time on too many things that aren't priorities?
What types of activities are taking more time than they should?
Where are you gravitating in the business?
Is that the best place for you to be spending your time?
What issues are coming to you that shouldn't?
Be brutally honest with yourself, and make whatever adjustments are required. Be certain to communicate those changes to your team, or they won't understand why you're doing things differently.
After you re-prioritize, block out time on your schedule for planning and for thinking about the Big Picture and the Next Big Thing as they relate. If you don't schedule it, you won't do it.
