Book Review: No BS Time Management for Entrepreneurs
Sorry for the slightly offensive title, but No BS Time Management for Entrepreneurs is a great simple book. As an act of accountability for myself, I’m going to start posting the things I learned from the books I read, and a few quotes I’ve highlighted as well. If you’re into the whole concept of time management, which all of us should be (Ephesians 5:15-16), this book is full of great reminders. Dan Kennedy doesn’t necessarily write from a Christian perspective, but his thoughts are extremely helpful. Here’s what I took away:
Figure out how much your time is worth and then ask yourself the question if what you are doing is worth that amount.
The most productive meetings last under an hour.
There must be times when you are 100% uninterruptable.
People who can’t be punctual can’t be trusted.
“However, I learned long ago the vital importance of regimen, ritual, commitment, and discipline in relationship to successful achievement. So it takes a lot to derail me. Most people are much, much more easily distracted. Perhaps I’m extreme in my insistence on proceeding with my work plans no matter what, but most people are even more extreme in their willingness to set aside their work plans for just about anything…”
“I think this is a secret true of a lot of very successful people. I think they are secretly lazy and become exceptionally self-disciplined out of necessity.”
Things to keep with you at all times: calendar, to-do list, to-call list, a sheet for things to communicate with people you talk to regularly.
Block your time weeks and even months in advance.
Don’t overload your to-do list. It will eventually hurt your morale and effectiveness.
Get ride of nuisances, the chores that just must be done, immediately.
Boil down everything you do into 3 most important, valuable things you can do to foster success. Then write down three actions you can do every day to accomplish them.
“I’ve never known a successful entrepreneur who wasn’t a list maker.”
“Business is all about the setting and meeting of deadlines. Meeting them is usually a combination of being adept at estimating or forecasting the amount of time you’ll need, then blocking out that time…delegating or obtaining help if possible, and having the self-discipline to do what proves necessary to get the job done.”