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When it comes to you being the CEO of your business and of your life, you want to be getting the most done every day. But how do you do that? By answering one simple question every day. Listen in to learn what that question is and why The ONE Thing by Gary Keller is one of the most impactful books I’ve ever read.
The One Thing
Mastering Your To-Do List: The Power of Focusing on “The One Thing”
The core concept of The One Thing revolves around a simple yet powerful question: “What is the one thing I can do today that will make everything else easier or unnecessary?” This question forces us to evaluate our ever-growing to-do lists and identify the tasks that will have the most significant impact.
Rocks vs. Sand: Prioritizing What Truly Matters
After reading The One Thing, I developed a four-part to-do list system that we now use at The Boutique Hub, including tools like the Boutique Boss Planner. The key to this system is first distinguishing between what I call “rocks” and “sand.”
Rocks are the 20% of tasks that will yield 80% of your results. These are the big, challenging, and often daunting tasks that we tend to put off but are crucial for moving our business forward. Sand, on the other hand, consists of the smaller, less impactful tasks—things like emails, customer service calls, and other busy work that, while necessary, don’t significantly contribute to our goals.
To make the most of each day, I narrow down my to-do list to three major tasks—my “rocks”—that I must accomplish. These are the tasks that, when completed, will make everything else easier or unnecessary. Once these rocks are handled, I can then tackle the sand.
Income-Generating Activities: Now vs. Later
Another critical aspect of this approach is identifying income-generating activities and determining whether they are immediate or long-term. As a solo entrepreneur, I understand the struggle of balancing daily operations with long-term planning. It’s easy to get caught up in the immediate tasks—posting on social media, taking sales calls—but it’s equally important to allocate time for long-term strategies like data tracking, report generation, and overall business planning.
Ask yourself: Is this task a $10 income-generating activity, or could it potentially be a $100,000 activity when compounded over time? By distinguishing between tasks that generate immediate income and those that contribute to long-term growth, you can better prioritize your efforts.
The Big Rocks Every Retailer Should Focus On
If you’re a retailer, there are certain “big rocks” that should always be on your to-do list:
- Building and maximizing your email list
- Enhancing your website
- Going live and engaging with your audience
- Improving your product photography
These tasks may seem overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling day-to-day operations, but they are critical to your business’s success.
Becoming the CEO of Your Business
Ultimately, this approach to prioritizing tasks helps us shift from being a hustling entrepreneur to a strategic CEO. Whether you’re a solopreneur or managing a team of 30, these principles apply. By focusing on your big rocks, you can ensure that you’re dedicating your time and energy to the tasks that will drive your business forward.
So, I encourage you to take a moment each day to ask yourself: What is the one thing I can do today that will make everything else easier or unnecessary? By doing so, you’ll be better equipped to prioritize your tasks, maximize your productivity, and achieve your goals.
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