It is complex to manage your priorities as a startup CEO. It is too easy to let yourself feel overwhelm. This post provides suggestions for a series of categories for your thought to help you be in control. So set your priorities as a startup CEO
Time Committed
How much time is committed to your business? Is this OK? Are you overly stressed? Please adjust that to allow time for exercise, relaxation and family.
What needs to change?
Make a list. For each item note how you might do it differently.
Stress
Make another list; ways you can reduce stress. Include exercise.
Time Log
Use a pencil or software tool to log how you are spending your time. Note which tasks you performed that are not customer focused. Do not criticize yourself for what you see. Just re-prioritize.
Schedule your time
See the post Schedule Only Half of Your Workweek
Take a break
Periodically every day. And take at least one day (really) off each week. Plan non-work activities; and actually do them.
Accountability
Find a friend. Hold each other accountable every day. A 15 minute call allows you each to say what you did yesterday that was meaningful.
Re-evaluate your priorities every few months
Your priorities need to be fresh and relevant.
As priorities:
- Respond to prospects
- Build new prospect relationships. Also marketing relationships
- Improve your offering
- Hire only the best
Your value add
Where can you add the most value? Relationships? Sales? Manufacturing? Operations? Another list should be the order of those items based on where YOU can add the most value.
Delegate
Delegate more. If you were delegating well you would worry less about prioritization.
How can you redefine your business?
Do you need new processes to achieve increased efficiency, effectiveness, or reliability? Do you need different, or increased, or decreased staff? What impact might you achieve by evolving your types of business partners?
Conclusion
Learning how to manage your priorities as a startup CEO can be difficult. However it is a key to success; so well worth the effort.
References
- Top 5 priorities for a startup CEO (in order)
- Advice on how a startup CEO should prioritize their time
- Trello is the free, flexible, and visual way to organize anything with anyone
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