10 Effective Time Management Techniques for Business Owners
Most of us wish there were more hours in the day. Time management techniques like the ones I’m going to share with you can really make a difference.
Ask any successful entrepreneur and they’ll tell you that it’s not the number of hours you have, but how you use them.
By learning and practicing effective time management techniques to allocate more time for you to work on building your online business, you can get more done and get to the money-making parts faster!
Here are 10 simple and effective time management strategies you can do today to manage your time and work more efficiently.
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1. Make A Realistic To-Do List
Ah yes, you need to prioritize your to-do list, and actually do the things.
I know it feels overwhelming sometimes.
But the trick to managing your time is to only put what you can actually accomplish on the list.
Don’t try to fit 1,000 tasks into a 3-hour time block. Narrow down everything you have to do to just three to five manageable items.
Put these tasks in order from most to least important so that you’re focusing on what’s essential. If you do this, you’ll eliminate nonessential, time-wasting activities.
2. Set-Up Time Blocks For Each Task
Create a block of time for each task you have to do and decide exactly how long you’ll do it.
For example, one hour per day on an ongoing project or thirty minutes a day on promoting your business on social media.
This keeps you on track and prevents you from spending too long on any one task.
Read: How to give yourself an unfair advantage.
3. Take Regular Breaks To Stay Sharp and Avoid Burn Out
If you work too long doing something, you may lose focus and burn out.
Break up activities with short rest periods where you can refresh yourself and get your mind off work.
Then, you can get back to what you were doing with renewed energy and use your time better.
4. Remove Distractions To Stay Focused
Things may be taking too long because you’re letting yourself get distracted.
Turn off all notifications and sign out of social media. Let people know that you’re working and not to be bothered.
If there’s something urgent, tell the person you’ll get to it when you’re done.
5. Perform a Time Audit To See How Long Particular Tasks Take
Keep track of how you spend your time each day with a timer and write down the results.
Over the course of several days, a picture will emerge showing how you actually spend your time. You may be surprised at where you’re wasting it!
This method is also beneficial to see how long a task takes you to complete so you can better gauge the amount of time you need to designate to perform the task.
The more you do a particular task, the more familiar you’ll get with the steps it takes eventually leading you to schedule shorter blocks of time to complete it.
6. Choose Your Peak Performance Times
There’s an optimal time of day for each type of task. For example, you may be most adept at creative writing in the late morning and communications and marketing in the evening.
These are the times of day when you’re in your groove and most productive.
Depending on your personality, schedule annoying, boring, or difficult tasks for your optimal times when you are focused and raring to go.
Or do the opposite and fill your happy, productive times with the tasks you truly enjoy doing, saving the dreaded ones that leave you feeling under-stimulated for when you’re least productive.
Just make sure you get them done!
Identify your peak performance times and use them to schedule your daily tasks more effectively.
Read: My Morning Routine As A Creator.
7. Schedule Fun Time
When making your daily schedule, set aside time for entertainment, mindless distraction, and pure fun.
You can indulge in these activities during breaks from tougher things, or use them as a reward for completing tasks.
8. Avoid Multitasking
Contrary to what many believe, multitasking doesn’t make you more productive. In fact, it ruins your focus and prevents you from getting any one task done efficiently.
I hate to rain on your parade but from here on out, try to focus on one thing at a time.
9. Organize Your Workspace
Organize your workspace so that everything is where you need it and easily accessible.
This will cut down on the time you spend searching for things and doing on-the-spot organizing.
Set aside a little time daily or weekly to clean up, organize, and put things away.
Decorate your office or whatever space you have designated for work in a way that is calming.
You’ll feel more motivated if you are surrounded by colors and decor that stimulate you and make you feel good.
10. Keep Your Money-Making Goals In The Front of Your Mind
For each thing you have to do in a day, take a moment to consider whether it’s directly helping you reach a specific goal or not.
If it’s not, consider eliminating it from your list, moving it to a later time, or delegating it to somebody else.
Don’t waste TOO MUCH time working on tasks that indirectly affect the money-making aspects of your business.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that with online entrepreneurship, (yes, you’ve started a blog online to make money so you’re an entrepreneur) comes stress.
Incorporating a time management system, as well as implementing these 5 grounding techniques will keep you stress-free.
Effective Time Management Techniques For Building A Business Online – Conclusion
Want to learn more about setting effective priorities, managing time, and working more efficiently to achieve your business goals?
Well if that’s a resounding yes, enroll in my group program, to be guided on how to build an asynchronous business.
You’ll be supported by a group of entrepreneurs, and discover new perspectives on your business.
Follow along on Instagram!