The 6p that could make you richer

Ok, I'll be honest from the get go. It's not 6p... It's 6p. 

 

 

Prior 

Preparation 

Prevents 

Piss 

Poor 

Performance 

 

 

The 6p Rule. 

 

I'm a planner. It comes natural to me. I like to plan things. I even plan for things going wrong so I have 'spare time' to fix the problems that haven't even happened yet. It's a blessing and a curse. 

 

I thought it would come in handy for those who don't necessarily find planning natural or indeed interesting to a have an idea of some of the things us natural planners do... 

 

Side note - We're PLANNERS not PREPPERS. Big difference. Probably both as equally barmy. If you don't know what a Prepper is you need to watch THIS. 

 

Here are my 6 ways to help plan your coming month. 

 

1) Use a Diary System That Works for You. 

 

Some people are digital through and through. They have their calendar in the cloud and they're set. Some people like to carry a paper diary with them wherever they go. 

 

Personally, I have both. I have a paper diary that also acts as my to-do list, a digital diary that has reoccurring events and meetings, a paper diary that plots my coming weeks and month. My client diaries are all kept in the cloud as are their tasks. 

 

I could easily move everything online but I get a buzz from ticking something off my list with a highlighter. Pick a way that works for you. Pick a way that makes you smile. If you're fighting against your natural urges to use pen and paper and doing it all online, look for another way. You'll be more productive if you're using systems you enjoy using. 

 

2) Create Systems. 

 

Create systems in your business, and your daily life that will help you in the long run. Look, I know, putting systems in place takes a lot of time and energy, I know, I do it for a living, but it really will help you in the long run. If you have a systems document in your business, you can drop everything at the drop of a hat and know that someone else can just follow the procedures you spent your time to put in place. 

 

Systems will also help your stress levels. If you have a system or process for everything, you're less likely to get stressed. You'll know exactly what needs to be done, and how long it will take. 

 

Go back to basics. This will not only help with your day to day running of your business but will be a great asset when you decide to grow the business to the next level. You may need to tweak procedures but it's better than trying to build on wet sand! 

 

3) Schedule the Basics! 

 

Before I hired my PA to help me out with the day to day running of my business I used to have a set time where I would create all my graphics and write all my social media content for the following weeks or month. 

 

Now, I'm not saying you should schedule EVERYTHING but the basics are a good idea. At least you know if you have a busy day you know your social media is still pumping out something. The key is continuity. Scheduling for the up and coming week is also a weight off your mind and a task off of your daily to-do list. Who doesn't want that? 

 

4) Plan Everything 

 

I usually plan for the following week on a Sunday night. When I know that isn't going to be possible I switch it to a Friday night. 

 

Everything goes into my diary. Business, personal, travel times, calls, reminders, tasks, gym sessions, study sessions, partners appointments, family commitments, planning sessions, bedtime routine, morning routine, lunch breaks, drinks with the girls, rugby with the boys, shopping. EVERYTHING goes in. 

 

You've probably heard of time blocking. This comes in handy for seeing your day as a whole. It can be quite overpowering and intimidating at first but once you've got your head around all the different aspects of your life on paper / screen, you can really work your time more effectively. 

 

Just don't forget to schedule in some YOU time! It's important. 

 

5) Don't Plan To 100% Capacity 

 

When planning my day, week, or month, I have a 85% rule. I always over compensate when I'm time blocking. I never let my work cover more than 85% of my working day and I always make sure there is time left over. 

 

At some point, when the shit hits the fan, that 15% comes in handy. Very handy. We all get the ' Can you just...' call from clients or family emergencies from time to time. If you have space, you can move stuff around easier. 

 

This rule also helped me realise when I was ready to grow as a business. I started hitting the 85-90% way too often so I knew I needed to bring another hippo into the pod to help with the work / life balance again. 

 

6) Stick With It! 

 

Just like with your social media output, your planning needs continuity. You need to make it a habit. This may come instantly, it may take weeks to get used to. It's like anything else. At first it feels like a pain in the butt. 

 

So how does this all make you rich? Firstly, it should, if you stick to the plan, make you time rich. This in turn will allow you to work smart and work better in order to bring in more business. You do not have to work more, just smarter. 

 

That's it. My little pearls of wisdom. 

Until next time, 

 

Dee x