7 Valuable Time Management Tips from Successful Entrepreneurs
Time Management can be a bear. You feel like you are making progress on something and then you get sidetracked and before you know it, you never completed that thing you were doing before.
If you are struggling with time management, it can sometimes feel like you are all alone. This is not the case. Everyone struggles with time management from time to time and one of the best resources for figuring out how to do better: Successful entrepreneurs.
Successful entrepreneurs must get really good at managing their time. Often they are being pulled in a lot of different directions and if they get off track, it can set vital projects behind. Here are seven of our favorite time management tips from successful entrepreneurs.
1. Put a Limit on Your Time
Things come up. Whether it be meetings or quick conversations with coworkers or getting buried in your email inbox. All of these seemingly small things take up valuable time for other projects and tasks. You need to start putting hard limits on your time. If someone asks for a meeting, make sure to keep it no longer than it 100% needs to be and make sure to stick to the hard stops for the end of those meetings.
Meetings, in general, can be a big waste of time so make sure that if you are calling meetings or if your team is calling meetings, there are needed meetings. At all costs, avoid meetings that could be an email.
2. Set Up Self-Appointments
People ignore the power of their calendars. One of the most helpful things can be taking the time to block out spaces on your calendar for must-do tasks. This can help you stay focused and get a better idea of the day. As a bonus, you will have set time blocks for tasks. Because work tends to fill the space it is given, putting tasks in time blocks can help you work more efficiently and complete more projects.
One of the first tasks to schedule? Time to check emails. Email is a productivity killer. Schedule three times a day to check email and two times a week to get to inbox zero. Email folders are your friend!
3. Maintain Flex Space
While scheduling time for tasks is a great time management trick, you want to avoid fully scheduling your day. Keep some white space in each day so you can anticipate interruptions and have time to respond to emergencies. Something always comes up and it’s better to have some flexibility than to have a jam-packed day.
4. Delegate
You have a team for a reason. If you have a task that someone on your team could easily take over, take a moment and train them how to do it so you can fully transition it over to them. Not only will this free up time in your schedule, but it will also encourage and train your team members building them into more well-rounded employees.
5. Put on Blinders
If you have trouble concentrating, it’s time to put on some blinders. Make sure that you have a solid morning routine on workdays to set the tone for the day. If you have tasks you must get done, eliminate the distractions.
Turn on do not disturb, turn off email notifications, put your phone on the other end of the room, minimize website windows you are not using, and close the door if you have to. The more you can focus and lock in, the better.
The most important part of focusing? Starting. Once you start, it’s easy to stay on track but you have to commit to starting and staying focused.
6. Start Your Day Earlier
This is a much-loved tactic of successful entrepreneurs. Starting your day even an hour earlier can help you get into a better mindset for the day ahead. You’ll be able to plan out your day and get a jump start on tasks before everyone else comes in. Having this time to yourself can make it easier to focus and set you up for a much more productive day.
7. Use Pomodoro Method
Work for 25 minutes, rest for 5. Repeat 4 times and then take a 15-minute break. This is called the Pomodoro Method and people rave about it. It’s a great way to section out tasks and give yourself the needed mental break.
The time pressure on a single task helps you get it done faster and the incentive of a break helps you avoid the temptation of distraction. There are tons of phone apps, websites, and even physical clocks that can help you use this method.
Time management is like a muscle that needs to be worked out. The more you use it, the better you get at it. These tips should help you maximize your time management and get better and better at it.
Be sure to check out our other posts for more ways to start your side hustle!
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