I just got off a coaching call with a fantastic doctor who is hugely successful personally and professionally. Throughout our time together, she constantly stated that there are not enough hours in the day to be both the primary clinical provider and the CEO of her business.
Have you ever thought there aren’t enough hours in the day or felt overwhelmed at your tasks? If you have, this article can help you! I am also attaching a free resource at the end of this article that can change your time management strategies forever.
1. Clarify your main objectives and goals for both the short and long term: Write them down. Create an annual planning system. Be very clear about your aims and ambitions. Once you know what you want to achieve (and WHY, thanks, Simon Sinek), it’s easier to decide what will make the most significant impact first and to plan accordingly. In dentistry, we consider these our rocks (large production and value appointments).
2. Focus on your top priorities: You’ll be more productive and profitable if you identify and focus on the areas most important to your business. Work on the basics first, the fundamentals. The Latin word ‘fundamentum’ means foundation – so take action, build strong foundations, and the rest should follow. One of my favorite authors is Alan Stein Jr, and he constantly talks about the basics and the fundamentals. If you haven’t read “Raise Your Game” yet, then you should.
3. Schedule time: Write a time block on the attached free resource. This will reduce anxiety over not having enough time and keeps you focused. This should be similar to what your Front Office team members should do with the practice’s schedule. For example, all our templates begin with the big rocks (crowns, implants, etc.), then Sand, then the no-value Water appointments.
4. Say no! Always check your schedule before committing to anything new. Don’t allow others to divert you from your objectives. There is an excellent book on this specific topic. It was written by one of my mentors, Don Khouri, and it’s called “When to Say Yes.”
5. Create structured systems: This includes filing, management information, and communication methods. I highly recommend having a google drive for your team. We like to set ours up with specific folders for Owners Only, Management, and then a separate folder open to the entire team, full of all the resources they’ll ever need.
6. Do a Reality Check: Is your current activity going to have a positive outcome, or are you doing it to avoid something else?
7. Delegate: So simple, yet it’s one of the hardest things for many successful doctors. It’s tempting to do something yourself when you think you can do it faster and better. But consider the long term – delegation now will save time in the future and, if done appropriately, can motivate your staff, boost their confidence, and help them develop their skills.
8. Repeat your success: Remember the last time you went away on vacation and how you got so much done in those few days before you left? What strategies and techniques did you employ that made you so “dialed in” and focused? Can you repeat them?
9. Balance your life: Purposely schedule personal activity blocks! This ensures you make time for family, friends, your health, and fun! Having a balanced life reduces stress and increases energy levels. Time management is really about life management!
10.End the day: At the end of the working day, tidy your desk, make notes about what needs doing tomorrow and prioritize those tasks. You’ll worry less that evening and be prepared and focused the following day.
Throughout the ups and downs of my personal life (many of you know my story about getting custody of my kids) and my business life (from my first restaurant to coaching with Rich Dad to now at Fortune Management), I genuinely believe the key to life is living it on your terms and providing value for others.
Attached is a system I use, Called Rapid Planning Method! I’m giving you this fantastic resource for Free! If you’d like a free coaching call on how to use it, simply contact me.
Download the Rapid Planning Method HERE! Once you click on the link, it opens in a new browser. From there, go to File and SAVE or EXPORT as a PDF.