Show distractions the door. Focus on what matters.

We’re suckers for productivity clickbait. Articles proclaiming productivity hacks, workflow techniques,and five-step-programs whet our curiosity time and time again. With the same 24 hours in the day as the next guy, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that there’s a ‘secret’ you may be missing out on when it comes to squeezing the most juice out of each day’s opportunities.

Well, yeah, kind of.

As a business owner, prioritising the most important tasks of each day is fundamental to continued growth. I’m a big believer in the power of uninterrupted work. Instead of letting my inbox dictate my schedule, I map my time and capacity each week in a way that allows for deep and meaningful work to be achieved.

And yet, I do so in a way that means the world’s not waiting for me to resurface.

I use practical automation tools on a daily basis to keep business running without my input. Clients can schedule meetings, employees know what’s on their to-do list, leads are replied to and sales outreach continues. This activity whirs away as I do what only I can do, letting automation do the heavy lifting in spaces where I’m not needed.

If you’re struggling to carve time out each day to get to the heart of the work that matters, look at the way you’re working. Where can automation step in and take items off of your plate? What are you doing that could be done by someone - or something - else? How can you increase your capacity without increasing your stress levels?

Here’s some of the tools I swear by when it comes to minimising distractions and diving into the deep work at hand.

• A robust CRM. Reduce the back-and-forth across your internal team by making sure your client records and customer management tools are always up to date. Eliminate those ‘where’s this file?’ emails, the ‘what’s that email address again?’ questions, or the more lengthy context conversations by keeping the records all of your clients, customers, leads and partners fluid and dynamic. I recommend taking a look at Insightly, Salesforce and Zoho to compare features and find the tool that’s best for your business.

• Automated communications. Reduce the time lost to incoming enquiries by employing chatbots and automated sales funnels and communications. Powerful chatbots include ManyChat and IntercomBot. EDM platforms like MailChimp, Intercom and Campaign Monitor give you the option to automate client journeys through all kind of triggers. Set, forget, and know your follow-up is happening without you.

Imagine how your business could grow if you were allocating your time and resource to the areas that only you can manage. Free yourself from the daily grind with the right mix of automated tools, and watch as your productivity grows. And all without a five-step program.