Making more, working less

Business expert Sam Carpenter, author of Working the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less, says we all secretly want to be like the guy in the office – almost every office has one – who keeps his desk clean, his files in order, knows what’s on his schedule and, frankly, gets more done in less time. Carpenter, as CEO and General Manager of Centratel, claims that he cut his workweek from 80 hours to two hours, and increased his income 20-fold, all with a change of perspective.

Here are Carpenter’s tips to make that happen for you:

Stop doing the work: Create systems, implement procedures and learn to delegate so you can focus on what needs to be done to make your business grow. Automate or delegate.

Use your prime time wisely: Research indicates each person has a biological prime time of about six hours per day. Determine when you function best, then use that time to perform tasks that contribute most to your success. Protect these hours from interruption.

Create written documentation: The single major difference between successful businesses and those that fail is documented procedures. Develop a specific strategic objective for your business, which is like a mission statement, but “punchier and more specific”. Then, develop general operating principles to guide decision-making. Third, develop written working procedures to describe how individual systems of the company are to operate.

Eliminate mole-whacking: Cut the fat out of your work day. If you are going to work, then work! Turn off the radio, get your feet off the desk, stop the pointless babbling with coworkers. Get in, do the work and get out. Ensure each meeting you attend has an agenda to keep discussion focused.