We can always find ways to make more money, but we can’t find ways to make more time. The only way to find more time to do what matters is to eliminate what doesn’t.

We often look at productivity tools as a way to magically do more, and I swear by many of these methods to work more effectively, but there is one little dirty secret.

We can’t do it all. With the tools and technology we have available, we can add endless tasks to our lists, but our capacity to do them isn’t endless, so the first thing we need to consider is the need to eliminate.

When we eliminate tasks from our to-do list, we unleash the true power of productivity.

If you eliminate products and services that take time and money without a reasonable rate of return, you will be able to put your time and money into products and services with higher returns, which will mean more profits for you.

If you clear out and eliminate files you don’t need anymore, you will be able to find the files you need more easily and probably not make duplicate documents like mine. In any case, you might benefit from the use of the documentation you have by not having the others clutter your view and taking time to open them all to find what you are looking for.

If you eliminate software you aren’t using, you will save money and streamline processes. Additionally, with less software, you may figure out how to use it better and find ways to save time. In any case, jumping from app to app and trying to learn more software robs you of time. You also lose time when you don’t know how to use your software, so look at what you can get rid of so you can focus on using what you have more effectively.

There may be processes that you can eliminate. You don’t need to take shortcuts, but are there unnecessary steps in your processes that can make your business flow more easily? One of my pet peeves is unnecessary steps, like the three forms I had to fill out whenever I wanted to take a day off from teaching. Each step in the process requires more time, so the simpler you make the process, the more time you will have to do what matters.

The answer for true business success is not doing more, but getting clear on what matters and eliminating what doesn’t. The Chinese prepare for their new year by a deep clean, eliminating what they don’t need anymore. Why not start your new year off clean by taking time to review and reflect on where you are spending your time and consider what you can eliminate so you can focus more on what really matters?