“Does it generate revenue?”
This is one of the questions that floated around the room during our Genius Shared retreat in Chicago a few months ago.
We were discussing goals, productivity, and action plans (things that send a tingle up the spine of every productivity nerd).
But many of us forget to apply the “does it generate revenue” test to our actions.
If you’re running a business, this has to be the litmus test for everything we do during working hours. Not that every single thing you do has a direct line to revenue, just that you get those things done FIRST.
Yes, you can write a blog post (just make sure you’ve optimized it with a call to action).
Yes, you can Tweet (just track results…have you created a social segment in Google Analytics?).
No, you can’t keep your personal Facebook page open on your desktop all day.
Yes, you can attend a luncheon for people in your industry (just go in with a plan to chat with potential partners).
No, you don’t need to check email more than 5 times in an 8 hour work day.
Yes, you can go for a run after you accomplish that one big revenue-generating thing for the day.
On a day-to-day basis, make sure that you’re investing time in the things that will keep your business moving forward.
What are you doing FIRST today? Does it generate revenue?
Photo Credit: gothick_matt via Compfight cc
What I’m doing first is closing my personal Social Media pages after the first 10 minutes and getting to work.
However, I was wondering about your e-mail point. Nowadays e-mail conversations are more frequent than face to face one. I think e-mail should not be underestimated. Although it’s good to ignore the notifications and focus on that report for instance.
I totally agree that email is still relevant and can be important, but too many of us keep hitting refresh on the email client, hoping for a “hit” (a distraction, an ego boost, a new customer). Even in a busy environment, I’m willing to bet that you could get away with checking no more than four times during the working day.