The most valuable asset info-entrepreneurs manage is our time, and we are always managing multiple priorities. I show how to successfully use several time-management approaches to get the best, most strategic use of your time, freeing you up to get more done and have more fun. This presentation is for the AIIP Annual Conference, May 20, 2017, in New Orleans.

1. Let The Good Times
(Management) Roll
Mary Ellen Bates
Reluctant—Entrepreneur.com
May 20, 2017

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Managing this time slot
Getting stuff done
Addressing procrastination
The 12-Week Year for solopreneurs
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Getting Stuff Done
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Getting Things Done
Workflow consists of
collecting, processing,
organizing, reviewing,
doing
Put everything in writing
“What’s the next action?”
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Tips for Getting Stuff Done
Know your internal schedule
What is the natural flow of your day?
When are you most creative?
When can you focus closely?
When can you enjoy office/admin
work?
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Tips for Getting Stuff Done
Look for 15-minute slots and have
things ready to do
Order office supplies, schedule
meetings during travel, outline talk,
read book summary
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Tips for Getting Stuff Done
Batch your work
Know your workflow, next step
Easier to maintain momentum than
create it
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Tips for Getting Stuff Done
When you put down a project, leave
a hook
Kick-start your re-start when you
return to it
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Tips for Getting Stuff Done
For distraction-prone projects
Park yourself at a coffee shop until
it’s done
Offer yourself a shiny toy when done
Imagine the warm feeling of “done”
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Tips for Getting Stuff Done
Email and social media are often used
as distraction/procrastination
Seriously. Check 2-3 times/day.
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Procrastination
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Which are you?
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or

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Check your ‘tude
How do you view procrastination?
A moral failing?
A powerful focusing tool?
Procrastination ≠ inaction
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Why we procrastinate
I’m afraid I’ll screw up
Write down the worst that could
happen.
I don’t have enough ___________.
What can you do right now?
I just don’t wanna do it
So what? Do it anyway.
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Choose your suffering
The lengthy pain of procrastination or
The possible short, intense pain of
failure or rejection
Resistance is futile
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The Pomodoro Technique
One task at a time
25 minutes of focus (no email, no
social media, no multitasking)
5 minute break
Repeat
Have a goal of X Pomodoros a day
or a week
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Strategic procrastination
Just get the-dreaded-thing started
Put off the lower-priority stuff
Make a decision at the “last best
moment”
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How can you structure your day so
that you fully enjoy intentional
free time?
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The 12-Week Year for
Solopreneurs
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Set juicy long-term goals
ID the 12-week goals to get
you there
Spell out the tactics
required each week to
achieve that goal
Evaluate your progress
every week
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Accountability on steroids
Clear one-year goals – tangible
indicators of success to you
Clear mid-range (12-week) goals to
get you from here to there
Make them measurable!
X% of goals completed this wek
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Not just big goals, not just
business goals
Do this for all your accountabilities
Long-term client projects
Building your business
Volunteer work
Personal goals
Include fun stuff and comfort-zone-
pushing activities
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Business goal example
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Week ending: 5-May 12-May 19-May 26-May 2-Jun
GOAL: Get 2 new
clients
Conduct 5 info interviews
Research to ID
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interviewees
Send first 5
invitations
Review, reword
invitations;
schedule
interviews
Complete all
interviews,
review results
New outreach to market
Review, update
web site, social
media profiles

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Project management example
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Week ending: 5-May 12-May 19-May 26-May 2-Jun 9-Jun
GOAL: Manage
client project
White papers
Outline
draft
Draft to
Kate
First draft due
Get comments
from Kate,
rework
Interviews
Get list of
contacts,
review
Schedule 6
appointments
Schedule 5
more if needed
Write up all
findings,
review

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Personal goal example
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Week ending: 5-May 12-May 19-May 26-May
GOAL: Get house ready to move
Clear out all rooms! Living room Guest room Garage
Repairs Do list of repairs Call handyman
Review with Sue for
addl work needed

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Now, you try it!
ID 1 business and 1 personal long-
term quantifiable goal
For each one, ID 3 tactics and put
each on a separate line
What might be in each week’s box?
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Resources
Getting Things Done:
gettingthingsdone.com
Pomodoro Technique: goo.gl/JfynmD
The 12-Week Year: 12weekyear.com
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+1 303.772.7095
mbates@batesinfo.com
Twitter: @mebs
LinkedIn: maryellenbates
Facebook: maryellenbates
Reluctant–entrepreneur.com
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