If you’re like a lot of business owners I know, you work hard, play hard.

When you’re working – you’re working your butt off and your days are non-stop GO GO GO. And when you’re in play mode you really don’t want business occupying your mind.

So, what’s the best way to get stuff done when you’re feeling too busy?

Here are 3 things that help my clients stay sane and end the day feeling ready for relaxation…

1) Get it Out of Your Head

Thinking about everything you need to do is EXHAUSTING! Carrying all of your to-do’s around fills up your brain and takes up valuable mental energy. Having to constantly stop to think ‘what’s next?’ or having that moment of ‘oh no! I forgot this!’ can be more tiring than doing the work itself.

The most important time management habit is to download everything from your brain into an online task/project management tool. 

Does the thought of a PM tool hurt your head even more? When you have the right team in place they can help get everything out of your head and into the appropriate place in your business – along with specific due dates and work delegated to others. Now your brain is free and clear to do what you do best.

2) Focus on What is Closest to the Money

If you are anything like the business owners I speak with, you have many days with SO much stuff on your plate that you simply can’t decide what to do next. When faced with a mountain of to-dos ask yourself this simple question:

What’s closest to the money?

Pick the top 3 things that are closest to the money and get them done FIRST. Then even if the rest of your day goes to hell in a handbasket (as my mom likes to say) you can end the day knowing that you’ve done work that matters. And you might be surprised to find that some things on your to-do list are NOT actually that close to the money – even though they feel really urgent.

3) Be RELENTLESS with delegation

Take a look at your to-do list right now and ask yourself:

“Do I really need to be the person to do this?”

If you tend to be a control freak, then as a default you will say yes. Because you know you can do it, you can get it done well, and who the heck has time to train someone else right?

Believe me, I know this story well. But there comes a time when that simply isn’t sustainable, and not what’s best for your business. There comes a time not delegating gets in the way of progress – of doing the work that really matters.