How I Became a Multi-Tasking Master
Adrian Li
I’ve been an EO member since 2008, and one thing I’ve always heard members complain about is time management. It's something we all struggle with, especially when it comes to our families, communities and personal lives. Time management is a challenge, but it is possible. In the past year, I’ve moved from China to Indonesia, got married, had a son, started three businesses and trained for Ironman. Throughout it all, I’ve stayed engaged in EO and even became more involved in my community. How did I become a multi-tasking master? It’s easy— I followed these steps:
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Always do what you love. As entrepreneurs, we are driven by desire and fueled by a certainty in everything we do. We excel at leveraging our talents and pushing our skills to the brink and back in order to achieve the results we seek. By creating a foundation based on passion, you’ll always have a beacon to gravitate toward, even when things get tough. The key is to create reminders of the “why,” so you can continue doing the “what.” When I moved to Indonesia to start a company in the technology industry, I used my passion for the industry as a constant reminder to keep me going, especially when I faced unexpected challenges.
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Regularly audit your schedule. I know, I know. You’re a busy entrepreneur with little time for anything but your business. To become efficient at multi-tasking, it’s imperative that you get in the habit of adopting a more macro look at your schedule. It’s so easy to get lost in the weeds and fail to see the big picture. When I started my family, I was also focused on starting several new businesses and training for Ironman. I had to take a step back and audit my schedule, eliminating any unneeded time so that I could effectively balance my priorities. It was tough in the beginning, but the more I got into the habit of assessing my calendar, the more I found I actually had time to pursue my other passions.
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Surround yourself with motivators. I could not have achieved anything this year were it not for the strong relationships in my family, Forum, businesses and training team. For example, my wife and former EO Indonesia member, Vanessa, assisted in the logistics of my move to Indonesia and helped me embrace the new culture. She even served in a temporary HR role for my businesses while I staffed them with management teams. And my training crew never let me rest as I coursed 100 kilometers and got into optimal shape for tackling one of the world’s hardest triathlons. By building a team of motivators and getting them to buy into my dreams, I felt energized every step of the way. I had a constant reminder of what I needed to do to excel.
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Build a routine and stick to it. The word “sacrifice” is one that I had to get used to this year. As is the case with any endeavor, there are some things you have to put aside so that you can focus on the bigger picture. A routine wasn’t one of them. Whether I was training for Ironman, raising my son or guiding three businesses, everything was driven by a strict routine. And that routine had to be followed every single day, no excuses, until it became a habit. At work, we incorporated Verne Harnish’s daily huddles to ensure daily focus and alignment. At home, I used an app called “Way of Life,” which outlined my daily tasks. Finally, I practiced “persistence, not perfection,” reminding myself to stay committed.
As an entrepreneur, it’s in my nature to bite off more than I can chew. While that has proved difficult in the past, it has always pushed me to find new ways to learn, grow and realize my goals. By adopting the above approaches, I’ve not only been able to push my boundaries of potential, but I’ve learned to live more in the moment, embrace my success, explore new opportunities and enjoy everything that comes along with being an entrepreneur.
