Sandpoint Chamber: Finish strong
Mickey Quinn
And suddenly, it is truly fall. Seems like a minute ago we were enjoying a lingering summer season but we are now staring down the remainder of the final quarter of the calendar year. How are you doing on those annual goals you set back at the start of the year? If you haven't made as much progress as you would have liked or hoped, there is still time to make them happen! I have four tips that if you start using right now, you will start seeing results immediately and can achieve those goals you set at the start of the year.
Plan and Protect Your Time. Your time is at least as valuable as the time of others. It can be hard to say “no,” or “not right now” to a client, or a potential customer, but if you constantly react to others’ demands, you are discarding your own plans and your own schedule. That is not sustainable. You must be able to establish boundaries and commit to yourself that your time is at least as valuable and as important as other people's time.
You Can't Get Everything Done. It is a big mistake to think you are going to be able to work hard enough and long enough to get everything done on your To Do list. When you labor under the false belief that eventually you are going to get caught up, and when you do you will be able to get to the important stuff, you will always be reacting to urgent issues. The most efficient and productive method is to prioritize the items on your list. Accept that you will not be able to do everything, and the next step will be a lot easier to achieve, which is…
Work On High Priority, Money-Making, Results-Generating Activities First. Don’t make the mistake of doing the easy items on your To Do list first. Instead, work on your higher-priority, more complicated tasks before the easy stuff. You may not be able to complete the higher priority and more complicated task, but you will be one step closer.
Breakthrough Results Require Breakout from Old Systems. To get different results, you have to do different things. If you feel you don't have enough time, then your system is not working. When you take ownership of your decisions on how you spend your time, you will then be in more control of your results. Becoming aware of how you decide to spend your time is critical to achieving maximum efficiency and productivity. Plan it, schedule it and do it!
There is still time to achieve more in 2024, but you must believe. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right!” If you want to make the most of the remaining weeks of this year, you can do it. Use these tips to finish 2024 strong!
Being a chamber member provides you with access to other businesspeople, helpful tips to improve your business and your own skills as a leader and gives you opportunities to make connections and build relationships. Contact the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce by phone 208-263-2161, email info@sandpointchamber.com, or online at www.sandpointchamber.org.
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Mickey Quinn is the executive director of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce.
