Who's keeping you accountable?

This is a very painful topic for some people… in fact, most people who have just started working for themselves, have to at some stage find a solution to this question.

Allow me to be very prescriptive here - YOU HAVE TO find a way to hold yourself accountable!

Or you will end up running your business into the ground. Back at your 9 to 5 you used to have colleagues and bosses to keep you delivering and on time, but now that you ARE your colleagues and your boss, the job's left up to you.

Some people are quite good at keeping a list of things and project managing, but if you're not lucky enough to be one of THEM then here are a few options to consider. Choose what works for you and what's manageable. You can combine two or more of the 3 methods - just make sure you are held accountable in some way…

1. The DIY Method

   You're just starting out in the industry. You're not sure who to turn to and frankly you don't know that many people in the industry. You're a private person. Or you're just as orderly as an army general and just loooove to keep track of your milestones and bottle necks… This one's for YOU.

   Get a software that can help you along. MS Office has stuff in it to help you along so if you have it with your PC - you're sorted. If not, you have Open Office that is free and is also well equipped for managing your tasks. On Mac you can just about manage with you iCal and again, it's free with your OS software. The least you can do is use a notepad, dedicated to tasks alone (don't mix notes and all that in it, keep it just for tasks).

   I found that the most helpful book I have read on the topic (and I have read a lot of books on the topic - including project management for dummies) is The 4-Hour Work Week. This is chock-a-block with practical day-to-day advice and is worth every penny. The tasks management method Tim Ferriss shows in there is my daily routine… 'nuff said!

2. The Delegating Method

   You 'suck' at PM (project management). You hate the concept of chasing deadlines. You loooove getting 'involved' in a project - who cares when it will end… You just CAN'T keep up with timelines and milestones… You have enough disposable income to not have to do this one… This one's for YOU.

   Outsource your PM to someone who's good at it and loves doing it. Simple - I know, and it's also a smart route to go if you're the 'creative' 'entrepreneurial' type who just wants to get on with the 'fun stuff'. In that case just hire a VA (virtual assistant) or a recommended person and get on with life.

   Again, The 4-Hour Work Week offers an invaluable lot of resource sites that you can test to find your perfect VA - Project Manager.

3. The Mastermind or With-a-Little-Help-From-Thy-Friends Method

   You have friends or connections in the industry you're in - like-minded people. You get a kick out of sharing ideas and drawing on other's experience and skills. You feel there's nothing better to push you forward than to have people expecting to see results when you said they'd be delivered. You have something to offer them and they have something to offer you in terms of knowledge or support… This one's for YOU.

   Contact your people to contact their people and get a set time to meet up each week or even two weeks. Meet up face to face though - that's the ideal. You could definitely do a call meeting, but it isn't the same, so leave it for a last resort.

   Once you start these meetings, you will see how having other people's brains working in parallel with yours can produce some remarkable results.

   In the same breath I need to WARN YOU - if you find you're getting nothing but time wastage from each meeting, review the people involved. You're in this to benefit - and so are they. Also, beware of negativity. Constructive criticism is one of the best assets in these types of meetings, but the moment it turns to just negativity - get rid of it. Negativity is the single most powerful deterrent to getting better! In my opinion anyway :o)

So there it is. Now you have now excuse to not moving through your tasks like a lean mean steam machine… yeah, all this and I haven't had a drop to drink…