“I don’t have time to go to a seminar offsite, let alone head back to school!”

It’s something that plenty of entrepreneurs say when asked why they haven’t stayed on top of the latest trends and techniques to manage and improve their businesses.  But it’s also just an excuse.

In today’s fast-paced Internet world, there are mucho opportunities for entrepreneurs to keep their ears to the ground.  Best of all, many of them are FREE:

1.  Webinars

These are hot, hot, hot and are a great way to find out what’s going on.  (You can even check out your competitors if they offer free or low-cost webinars.)  You don’t have to leave your home or office, either.

2.  Teleseminars

Like webinars, these learning opportunities take place in a virtual capacity, via telephone.  You’ll call into a special number and be tied into a training session.

3.  Ebooks

Many sites offer free ebooks if you sign up for their newsletters.  Avail yourself of this freebie; most ebooks are relatively short and you’ll probably learn at least a nugget of new info.

4.  The Library

It’s old-fashioned, but it’s free!  All you have to do is take the time to go there and peruse the book aisles.  You won’t spend a penny, but you’ll have all the great minds at your fingertips!

5.  Blogs and Websites

Many blogs and websites keep you up to date on new and emerging trends in your industry as well as peripheral industries.  Subscribe to these fountains of knowledge… you never know when you’re going to read something that makes you go “Aha!”

Take one minute and think of all the things you said you were going to do last week but never got around to handling. 

The obvious question is:  Why didn’t those items get accomplished?

My guess is that you’ll probably have one of three answers:

• - I didn’t have time.
• - I didn’t remember to do it.
• - I don’t have an excuse.

Those are all perfectly-understandable and honest responses, of course.  But they all lead back to one place — accountability.  (Or, more specifically, a lack thereof.)

Chances are good that the reason you’re not getting around to finishing tasks is because you don’t have to.  No one is pressuring you, so the feeling of immediacy and importance just isn’t there.  As a result, some of your “to do” tasks keep getting pushed farther and farther down your list.

It’s time to change the way you’ve been approaching your duties.  Otherwise, you’ll just keep missing opportunity after opportunity. 

You can do this by instituting some method(s) of accountability into the way you approach your work.

Below are 5 effective ways to ensure that your work gets done on time, every time.

1.  Start using automatic “alerts” on your computer.  Most calendar programs can be set up to send you reminders.  These might seem “nagging”, but they’ll keep you on track.

2.  Send yourself emails as reminders.  Want to make sure you remember to do something the next day?  Send yourself an email and don’t delete that email until the task is on its way to being finished.

3.  Work with a business coach.  For short-term and long-term goals, a business coach can provide you with the accountability you need to keep you focused and on track.

4.    Set up regular meetings with a colleague, peer or mentor.  Pick a day of the week or month to sit down with someone and chat about your “to do” list.  Instruct him or her to be your “accountability accountant”.

5.  Put into place a system of rewards.  There’s nothing wrong with rewarding yourself now and then for staying the course.  Love Starbucks?  Only allow yourself to order that latte if the previous day’s work was completed.

Your turn — do you have any ways that you hold yourself accountable?

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