Multitasking is the Enemy of Small Business Owner Productivity

Multitasking is the new norm for entrepreneurs who are so busy they can't afford to do one thing at a time. It's also the new myth. Study after study has shown that we're less efficient when we do more than one thing at one time. In a few million years we will probably have brains twice the size and will be able to do parallel processing with the best Intel chips (or whatever will be doing our computing down the road). Until then we need solutions. Here's the start of a list.

1. Say no: People are naturally pleasers, with the exception of adolescents. We like to agree and say yes and we're bad at saying no. So practice saying no with a smile. Not to everything of course. But start with an orientation that says no, and make the idea or person asking for the exception to do some heavy lifting before you get to yes.
2. Forget multitasking: It doesn't work. Talking while driving, emailing while talking on the phone, shopping for groceries while on a conference call (you forgot the eggs -- again!). All you'll do is create re-work for yourself. Bet yourself that you can go one single day without multitasking and buy yourself a reward if you make it.
3. Don't keep email open: It's all the BlackBerry's fault. But no one says your smartphone has to vibrate or sound an alarm with each new email. Make it silent. It's right there in the menu - it's called Quiet. Try that for a day and give yourself a prize if you can do it.
4. Schedule batch tasks: Do you pay your bills as they come in? Don't. Batch all work that can be batched. And calendar the date you'll deal with it.
5. Know where your stuff is: Keys, phone, stamps, Bluetooth, sticky note with client's phone number, to-do list. Do you know where all that stuff is? And how often do you "lose" your stuff? There's 10 minutes a day to be saved here, at least. And more benefit if you count the anxiety that comes with misplacing important items.
6. Rule of three touches: If you pick up a piece of paper or an object more than three times and don't do anything with it, throw it out.
7. Meditate (don't medicate): One letter but what a difference. Meditation is not just for someone else. Anyone can do it in 20 minutes, and it's like sleeping for hours. Speaking of which...
8. Sleep 8 hours: What do you need to do to make this happen? Give up Leno. TiVo Jon Stewart. Read one chapter instead of two. Being productive and efficient starts with sleep and getting enough. And along with this goes a whole range of health and wellness practices dealing with diet and exercise. You know what they are, so do them.
9. Keep a list where you can see it: Your to-do list -- is it in your head? Can you go to Staples and get a cork board and put it up today, and have your list in front of your face by dinner time?
10. Replace yourself: If you care about the future of your business, find a way to replace yourself for all but the most essential functions. Any repetitive task is up for delegation.
11. Plan fun: What's worse than feeling like you have no time for your hobby, exercise, the movies? You'll have a better chance of doing fun stuff and feeling like you have the time for it if you schedule it.