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Gwen Bortner | Everyday Effectiveness

Conquer Your To-Do List

Published 9 months ago • 3 min read

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Are you constantly battling an ever-growing to-do list? Do you find yourself paralyzed by the sheer volume of tasks demanding your attention?

You’re in good company.

Almost every entrepreneur falls into the trap of trying to do it all, all at once.

But there's a better way.

In our latest episode of The Business You Really Want, Tonya and I dive deep into strategies for overcoming entrepreneurial overwhelm.

Today, I want to share three practical tips you can implement right away to regain control of your workload and boost your productivity.

Embrace the Power of One

Instead of tackling multiple tasks simultaneously, focus on one significant task per day. This might seem counterintuitive, especially when you're facing a mountain of work. However, consistently making progress on one important task each day leads to remarkable results over time.

Action step: Before you start your workday, ask yourself, "If I could only accomplish one thing today, what would have the biggest impact on my business?" Make that your priority.

Distinguish Between Urgent and Important

Society has trained us to be “on” 24/7, or at least to believe that’s the expectation. Internalizing that belief leads us to treat everything as urgent. But not everything that feels urgent is truly important. Learning to differentiate between the two is crucial for effective time management.

Action step: When faced with a task, ask yourself, "What happens if I don't do this right now?" This simple question helps you evaluate the true urgency and importance of each item on your list.

Recognize Your Daily Capacity

Many of us create unrealistic to-do lists without considering our actual daily capacity. Remember, you have routine tasks, unexpected interruptions, and necessary breaks to account for each day.

Action step: Be honest about how many significant tasks you can realistically accomplish in a day, on top of your regular responsibilities. For most of us, it's between 1-3 tasks. Plan accordingly.

By implementing these strategies, you'll start to see a shift in your productivity and stress levels. You'll move from feeling overwhelmed to feeling in control, making meaningful progress towards your goals each day.

To build the business you really want, you have to practice restraint. Instead of trying to do everything (especially everything all by yourself), focus on doing the right things at the right time. Start with these tips, and let me know how they work for you!

Here's to your success,

Gwen

Talk Nerdy to Me

Ever wonder why some entrepreneurs seem to effortlessly achieve their goals while others struggle? The difference often comes down to one thing: accountability.

In my recent chat with Sonia Narvaez on Talk Nerdy to Me, we geeked out over the power of true accountability. As someone who's built multiple successful businesses and advised countless others, I can confidently say: accountability is the missing link preventing most entrepreneurs from achieving their goals.

We discussed:

  • Why self-accountability is a myth
  • The power of non-judgmental accountability
  • How small, consistent steps lead to big results

Curious to learn more?

Knitting Wisdom Meets Marketing Mastery

My recent Genius Network talk, Three Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Expert, caught the attention of marketing legend Brian Kurtz.

Brian, a respected voice in direct response marketing, has applied my knitting-inspired framework to his own perspective on marketing and marketing consultants. In his own blog, he explores how the concepts of doer vs. teacher, specialist vs. generalist, and flexible vs. fixed solutions play out in modern marketing strategies. His perspective adds depth to these ideas, offering thoughtful insights for business owners and marketers alike.

As a speaker, there is no higher compliment than discovering an attendee is still talking about my session days later. But this might actually be the first time an attendee wrote a full article about one of my presentations in such a creative way. This kind of cross-disciplinary thinking is exactly how solid business principles are tested and shared.

Even if marketing lies outside your interests, I hope you’ll take a moment to read what Brian wrote and see if it sparks any ideas for your own business.

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Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:

  • ​Schedule a call to discuss how I can help you design your business with intention.
  • Join the Small Biz Book Club to discuss applying big ideas from business books to small business reality.
  • ​Book me as a speaker or podcast guest.

PO Box 1133, Merced, CA 95341
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Gwen Bortner | Everyday Effectiveness

Accountability + Productivity = Sustainable Success

Gwen Bortner is a business advisor who provides outside perspective and unwavering accountability. She’s also the one to ask the hard questions others won't. After four decades of working across 47+ industries, Gwen has learned that marketing and sales have built-in feedback loops — you know quickly if they're working. But the behind-the-scenes engine that runs your business? That's where the blind spots live. That's where successful businesses secretly start breaking down, even when everything looks fine from the outside. Gwen's monthly newsletter provides tips to help you identify bottlenecks others miss so you can build a business that performs well without consuming your life.

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