By Neal Glatt

I used to be so busy.  Every week was a 50+ hour week.  I remember the all-nighters to finish the massive bid packages.  There was never a year with more than two weeks of vacation.  So I can relate to those who still think that staying so swamped with work is a sign of success.  Except they’re stuck in a trap making it impossible to grow their business.

Last week I heard it again: “You must be so busy!”  Sometimes people say, “I imagine your schedule is packed,” or “You probably don’t have time for this.”  The truth is I’m really not, at least not in the same way other people seem to be.  I make lots of personal time for friends and family.  I’m involved in several significant philanthropic endeavors.  I’m always on-the-go and reading or listening to something new to learn.  I write often.  But my schedule is incredibly flexible and I can always make time for someone if I deem it important.

That’s my secret - I’m in control of my calendar.  I don’t attend meetings unless I understand the purpose, believe it is beneficial and necessary, ensure everyone is prepared, and the time allotted is appropriate.  I don’t waste time with prospects who won’t buy and I won’t “send you a quote” unless you meet stringent requirements.  I have templates for the emails I send most often.  I leverage technology to automate tasks.  All of this allows me to accomplish so much with minimal time invested.  So, no, I’m not that busy.

I no longer see being busy as a badge of honor.  I strive for efficiency.  “Time management” is not possible - we all only get 24 hours a day.  “Calendar management” one of the greatest skills you can hone in business today.  Of all the amazing things owning my calendar allows me to do, by and far having time to learn is the greatest benefit.  As I learn new skills, information, and approaches, it equips me to better deliver in the future.  

In my career, investing my time in learning and mentoring others has been like compound interest.  In fact, I approach my time just like my finances.  A lot of time goes to my obligations (general work).  A portion is set aside for saving for opportunities (new ventures).  A portion is set aside for charity (philanthropy).  A portion is invested to grow and pay dividends (learning and mentoring others).  And a portion is reserved for fun (family, friends, vacation).  

I wish I could help more business owners and managers understand that if they just stopped working so much they would transformationally grow their businesses.  Hiring and training an additional person to help isn’t a cost to the business, it’s a no-brainer decision and table stakes to get ahead.  Setting aside an hour a week to learn new skills doesn’t stop you from growing, it enables you to grow.  

The Pareto Principle, or “80/20” rule, is well-known but often not believed about our own schedules.  But if we just spent 100% of our efforts doing only the 20% of things that are working so well now, we would be 5 times more effective.  Or we could be 250% effective and only invest half the time, leaving the balance for whatever you wanted.  Talk about freedom.

With less than a month left until 2020, it’s time to decide.  Are you going to repeat 2019 and be frustratingly busy?  Or are you going to take control of your calendar, invest time in education, and experience exponential growth?  I guarantee if you choose to give just 30 minutes a week to the courses on GrowTheBench.com and putting what you learn into practice, you’ll level up your business to exceed your goals.  How can I be so sure?  Because our All-Access Pass subscribers who have done it for the past year say this: "GrowTheBench has helped our company more than any other organization.  Their training courses have brought a different approach to how we do business and we're excited about the future."

Making time to learn is the best New Year’s Resolution you can make - if you keep it.  So are you serious about your business growth?  Then it’s time to take the plunge.  Can I recommend our Time Management Course as a starting point?  It just might change your life.