Not-So-Fun fact: 35% of US employees regularly work over the weekend, and another 43% don’t use all of their vacation days. That’s crazy! While it can be easy to get sucked into the hustle and bustle of the weekly grind, it’s important to make some time for yourself. These seven time-saving tips will not only boost your efficiency at work, but also present you with the rarest gift of all—free time!

The reason I am putting on my business conference January 7-9 in Orlando, Florida is to help more CPAs, EAs and attorneys work LESS and make MORE. If you haven’t RSVP’d yet, please do. It’s the best investment you can make for your 2015 year…and the rest of your career!

7 Tips for Overcoming Overwork

1) DEAL WITH SMALL TASKS IMMEDIATELY – If a task takes less than two minutes, do it now instead of throwing a sticky note into a pile of to-dos!

2) FIGHT OFF DISTRACTIONS – Filter the unimportant things out. The average US worker spends nearly an hour a day on Facebook. Save the fun stuff for your free time.

3) PRIORITIZE – Figure out what is the most important of the important things and get it done! Did you know that 80% of the average workday is spent on noncrucial things? Adjust your focus to encompass only the important and reap the rewards!

4) SET REALISTIC DEADLINES FOR TASKS – Most tasks take double the time they are planned for, so make sure to consider that when you are planning your schedule!

5) FINISH ONE THING AT A TIME – If you focus on the task at hand and don’t let yourself get distracted by everything else on your list (or everyone else’s lists), you’ll stay on track! Every eight minutes, on average, a person gets an interruption. Don’t let this knock you off your game!

6) DELEGATE – Don’t be greedy with your workload; let someone else help with non-essential tasks. If you delegate just one 20-minute daily task, like returning emails or filing records, you would save almost two hours a week!

7) GET ORGANIZED – Keep everything in a system, not in your head. Being organized really allows people to delegate; it also keeps you from having to try to remember everything you are supposed to get done for the day. 30% of workers don’t use any to-do lists. Do you?

BONUS ROUND – INVEST IN YOURSELF!

Don’t forget that spending time working only gets better when you invest in yourself. If you aren’t putting money in your personal piggybank, how can you give to others, right!!? The best athletes have the best coaches. Develop your support dream team. That’s why I have my academy, to give advice to help folks get in the business of growing your business.

Like most practitioners, you probably spend an enormous amount of time working IN your practice. Give yourself an early holiday gift – register now and join me for 3 Days in sunny Florida this January to work ON your practice so you have a happier, healthier work life.