2. Common Problems
Entrepreneurs have to do more than others
1. Too many “life-
or-death” tasks.
2. Brain exploding
with information
overload.
3. Not enough time
to sleep.
4. 1. It makes you afraid of the hardest tasks
Your brain says, “Oh, that’s a big project, I’ll do it later…”
For example, you need to rethink an interface…
5. 2. It’s easily distracted
Your brain says, “I should talk to them, it’s important…”
You’re finally prototyping… and someone comes by
6. 3. It likes to store junk
Your brain says, “No need for notes, I’ll remember.”
You have a new idea or thought…
7. 4. It doesn’t like thinking and learning
Your brain says, “Don’t google it, I have an easy answer.”
When you need to do something new…
8. 5. It makes excuses to feel better
Your brain says, “It was just a bad day, that’s all.”
When you have no results to show…
9. As a result, you don’t
deliver results in time
Things get worse and worse
No user growth
You’ve blown all the deadlines
Your team and investors hate you
You feel like you can’t do it
11. 1. Identify your next big goal
Raise funding
Reach break-even
Get traction (N users in T)
Make it very specific!
12. 2. Start every day with…
What can I do today to reach my goal?
Is this the most important thing that’s needed
to reach it?
Just 20% of your work gets you
80% of the results.
13. 3. Think on paper
Goal lists
Project lists
Daily task lists
Call lists
Project task lists
etc.
Don’t keep things in your head.
14. 4. Keep your inbox clean
Can you answer in 2 minutes? – Answer!
Is there an action with no concrete deadline?
– Put it on the list!
Is there an action with a deadline? – Put it in
Google Calendar.
Do the same with all your other incoming tasks!
Your inbox should be empty each evening.
15. 5. Avoid distractions
Have at least one day a week without
distractions – no
meetings, phone, Skype, e-mail, or social
media.
This is the day to do your hardest and most
important tasks. Wednesday is a good day
for this.
On other days, use headphones and work for
40-minute stretches with no interruptions.
16. 6. Start your day with the hardest task
Prioritize tasks according to their impact:
A – I won’t reach my goal without this
B – Someone will be unhappy
C – I can decide not to do this
D – I can ask somebody else to do this
E – I won’t do this
Do all the A tasks and some of the B tasks.
17. 7. Say NO
When somebody asks you to do
something, your first question should be
“Do I really need this more than anything else
to reach my goal?”
and your second question should be
“Am I the only person who can do this?”
“Will someone die if I say no?”
If none of the answers are “yes,” say no.
18. 8. Good enough is better than perfect
Imagine that 80% of your time is going
towards “making it a little bit better.”
This means you could do 4 such tasks
instead!
Check if it’s enough – does it achieve the goal?
Does it work? Will anyone die if I stop now?
19. Once again
1. Know why you’re doing it.
2. Always start with the most important and hardest
tasks.
3. Don’t keep it in your head.
4. Always ask yourself, “Is this the one thing I should
really do now, and will it bring the most positive
impact?”
5. Go offline one day a week. Every week.
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