5 Hacks to Extreme MLM Productivity
If you’ve ever thought there is a “secret” that the top leaders do that you’re not doing, you’re probably right.
It’s their ability to FOCUS and not be distracted.
With the countless content and training that is out there, little of it shows you HOW to stay focused and implement to get results from all that you learn.
Because perhaps, it’s not a matter of managing time, or having more time, but rather it’s about the actions within that time…
How many times have you heard someone say:
I just need to manage my time better…
Or…
You’ve probably have heard the countless advice on why or how you should manage your time better.
And in the world of Networking Marketing (in any other area really), TIME and ENERGY are precious things.
And perhaps this post might go a little against what most people have been told, or heard about ‘managing time’.
But the thing is…
TIME MANAGEMENT IS A MYTH
Time management is a myth because you cannot “manage” time.
To be an effective leader or a “successful” Network Marketer, one must be able to manage their actions efficiently.
See, what is important…
Is you to realize that you CAN NOT manage time but YOU CAN MANAGE YOUR ACTIVITIES.
You can manage your responsibilities and more importantly, your energy.
So, to keep this blog post concise and to the point, here’s:
5 “Hacks” to MLM Productivity
“Hack” #1- 90% of Time Management is Attitude
Truth is, our attitude about any set of circumstances can either directly or indirectly influence our actions.
That is why…
One of the biggest changes that you must undertake is your attitude towards time.
What does that mean exactly?
It means that most new entrepreneurs and people who join MLM and network marketing, treat time the wrong way because we are brought up in an “Employee Environment.”
Everyone knows the saying “Time is Money” but hardly anyone really treats time like money.
Would anyone throw away a random $1 bill out the window, or on the street for strangers to pick up?
Would you do something crazy like that?
Probably not…
But people unfortunately throw away their time like it is worthless.
The key to having “more time” is to analyze the small details of how you are spending each second and every minute.
So just like you wouldn’t randomly give away $1 here and there…
Start focusing on how your time is spent.
Do you randomly throw away a minute to look at an unimportant email that pops in?
Do you randomly throw away another 3 minutes to check the latest status updates on Facebook even though you just did that 15 minutes ago?
Start treating time and your actions, like money.
The next time you do ANYTHING, think about the time you are “Throwing” away.
“Hack” #2- Never Multitask
Do your best to create an environment where you will not be distracted and you can focus on the task at hand.
You have to limit the distractions and eliminate multitasking all together.
It may be difficult at first but once you start doing this, you will find yourself much more productive and get things done faster.
You increase productivity and can do more in less time when you focus one thing at a time.
Why focus on one thing at a time?
That’s because our brains cannot just leave the project you are working on and then jump back to it and work at the same speed as you were before you had left.
Your brain will require time to warm up again or most often, when you get back to your project, you will forget the great idea you had.
For example:
If your working on your daily business activities, let’s say you’re in the middle of writing down and planning social media ideas to post… Can you write for 5 minutes and then go reply to a couple of emails, then watch a video about your company and THEN jump back to finishing writing your social media posts and expect to have the same focus and creativity as you did before?
Of course not!
You will need time to warm up to piano again and the time it takes to warm up is TIME WASTED.
It is the same with everything else.
Your brain cannot jump from one task to another without suffering from decrease in productivity.
If you’re a parent, it may feel like multitasking is inevitable!
You’re not alone, I have 4 boys myself:)
What I mean is, don’t multitask your business activities during the small gaps of time that you do have!
For example…
Some of those key time gaps may be when your kid is asleep, or when the laundry is in the wash, etc.
“Hack” #3- Do Not Allow Interruptions
You can’t avoid certain things but you can create an environment where you can have the peace and quiet to get your most important projects done.
You can set up a specific time where you tell people you will not be available unless it is an emergency.
All you need to do to start this success habit is set aside ONE HOUR each day where you will not be interrupted.
Do your best to set the same time each day and do this every day.
Once you set up the time, use this time to work on your big project or use this time to work on the nagging small little things so that you will HAVE TIME to do what you really want in life.
After 21 days, you will see dramatic results!
Bonus: 5 Simple tips to eliminate distractions
1) Do not check email or Facebook messages immediately after they come in – best way to do this is turn off your notifications and set up a specific time of the day where you check emails.
2) Turn off online instant messaging.
3) Do not pick up the phone. (the phone call is not life nor death and you can call that person back in an hour)
4) Do not answer your text messaging. (just make it simple and turn off your phone)
5) Find a place and quiet place where you won’t be disturbed
And yes…
Sometimes you cannot avoid the distractions because you may be waiting for an important customer to call, or if the baby needs help.
Stop what you are doing and tend to that matter.
“Hack” #4- Schedule Everything With an End Time
Yes…
Literally an end timer! (Timer+ App is a great tool to use for this) 
Scheduling with an end might sound a little crazy to some people.
Perhaps a bit excessive.
But the trick with setting an end time is that it creates a sense of urgency in our minds, and in our actions.
We work faster and better when there is urgency.
A prime example is when a last minute deadline comes up…
You manage to get the task done within that time span because your focus and actions were set on that deadline and that deadline only!
Also…
Urgency prevents one from taking too much time on a task in order to be “perfect”.
Wait, we don’t have to be perfect?
Here’s another mental and physical hack:
Find out what time of the day you are most effective…
Increase your mental and physical energy so that you can tackle the bigger tasks then, and use the spare energy for the lower brain power tasks (like emails and admin work).
“Hack” #5- Write Everything Down
Just like a money spendthrift who wants to change has to analyze how he/she is spending their money each day…
You MUST start analyzing HOW you are spending EACH minute every day.
If you want to be really good, you can analyze the seconds but at this point, start just focusing on HOW each minute is spent.
Here is an exercise you can start doing today:
– Get a piece of paper and timer
– Set timer for every 15 minutes
– When timer goes off, write down on your sheet of paper how you spent the last 15 minutes.
– At the end of each day, look and analyze how you spent your day
Make sure your timer goes OFF. Do NOT cheat!
It may be stressful in the beginning to have a Timer go off every 15 minutes but that is important.
You MUST realize the time that is thrown away.
Just like how you look bank statements, credit card statements, etc, you MUST look at your Time statement to see how money is spent.
By the way, just like people who don’t look at their financial statements are poor with money management, people who don’t look at their “Time Statement” are poor with “activity management.”
After you do this exercise a few days, you will find yourself more efficient and more conscious of how you spend every minute.
Productivity in Action
A small recap:
1) Audit your thoughts and how you spend your time
2) Learn what time of day you have the most energy & work the hardest tasks then
3) Learn to say “no” to things.
4) Make the timer your best friend
5) Log what you do every 15 minutes
Learn to use the most powerful word an entrepreneur must learn and that is “No.”
Saying “No” to some things (even some people) is not a selfish thing…
If you say “No” to requests, that automatically saves you the stress and time to do another task.
And ultimately, more time for the things that mean most to you in life.
Productivity allows you to ____…
Is it more time with family?
The ability to maximize your business?
Let me know in the comments below what it allows you to do, or, how you manage your actions.
God Bless,
Simon Chan
P.S. You DON’T need hours each day in order to build a successful Network Marketing business. Want to learn how to build your business with only a few focused minutes a day? Check out Purpose Driven Networkers
