Carry your smart phone or even a pad to jot down a to-do list, clearing your mind so you can come up with work solutions and new ideas more quickly. Be clear what you want to achieve that day and stick to it.

Pinpoint the time of day when you are at your freshest, and remove all distractions, for me that is the morning, when I feel fresher and more alert. Route all calls to voicemail and avoid your email inbox. Set times to deal with emails, otherwise it will continually interrupt your day. Unsubscribe from newsletters you don’t read. You’ll be much more productive.

When you are ready to deal with your email, voicemail, or paperwork, take instant action – read, answer, delete, file.

Limit social media. Is social media worthwhile for your business? If not, cut it out during the day. If yes, limit time on social media sites to 30 minutes or less daily. Use tools such as Hootsuite to schedule posts.

Structure your meetings. Be clear about what you need to accomplish, start and end on time, and cut off people who like to talk.

Get help. Just because it’s your business, you don’t have to do it all. Hire others to do your bookkeeping, administrative tasks, errand running, customer support. A Virtual Assistant is very useful in freeing up your time, allowing you to grow your business successfully.