Then I summarize my list of desired experiences, qualities, and values into the 3-5 “Must Haves”. The time spent getting clear on the position will save me thousands of dollars and the time spent having to re-train and recoup from a bad hire.
Another good use of my focus time is working on building relationships with key strategic partners. Working on strategic partnerships is different from traditional sales calls and many business owners get these two confused. Strategic partnerships are meant to help propel growth within your business over the long term. This could be partnering with a company that serves a similar clientele or developing content with a fellow leader in the industry.
Another great use of a focus day is to create your quarterly action plan or check in on your progress and make adjustments as needed. By creating a one-page action plan you will have the ability to focus your best discretionary time on three specific areas — or fewer. Ideally, you want to check in on your quarterly action plan at least once a week to ensure that you are aligning your best work with your company goals.
If find that it is often difficult to make key decisions surrounding my business on “push” days because there are so many distractions. Taking time on your focus days to think about the big picture and the decisions surrounding your business growth is an excellent use of your time and can lead to millions if done properly. Do you really need that new piece of equipment? Should you expand into that new market? Do you need to discontinue a product line? These types of decisions can have a major impact on your business and should be given your best attention.