When you start your own business, you’re not just a founder. You’re a marketer, producer, designer, supervisor, visionary – and much more. So, if anyone can benefit from developing highly efficient time management skills, it’s you.
Chances are, you have read dozens of resources on productivity. These techniques and tactics can be overwhelming and contradictory. You’ll find that time management strategies are rarely one-size-fits-all. It will take some adjusting to find the methods that make you the most productive. When you do find something that works, stick to it!
The Lifestyle Of A Prosperous Entrepreneur
Your personal habits and lifestyle make a huge difference in how easily you are able to manage your time. Make your wellness a priority. You can always seek new business opportunities or impress new waves of clients, but your health is irreplaceable.
Start off your morning with routine. Waking up should be easy. Do not overload yourself with decisions to make. Have a few breakfast options, and choose your outfit every night before bed. All you have to do is shower, get dressed and eat. If you start your morning running late, it’ll take longer for you to bounce back from that stress and start your workday.
Make sure you get enough sleep. Time management does not demand that you wake up early. If you’re a night owl, do your best to accommodate your best working hours and prime sleep schedule, even if it means sleeping in an hour later each day. There’s no point in waking up early if it does not give you more working hours in which you can flourish.
Making Every Day A Productive Workday
You’re only human. You’re always going to have days where you work more effectively, think more creatively and get more done. With strong time management skills, you can work around your natural tendencies to get the most out of your hours.
Plan your workday. The first thing you should do when you get to your desk or workspace is plan out your entire day and prioritize your tasks.
Take note of your most productive hours. Maybe you work at your best after lunch. Schedule especially difficult tasks for these hours.
Give yourself breaks. Use the Pomodoro technique.For every 25-minute block of productive work, give yourself a five-minute break. Your breaks should be refreshing and get you away from your desk or computer screen. Go for a walk, grab a snack, or do a few jumping jacks. Checking your Facebook or writing an email to your Aunt Sarah do not count as breaks – these tasks should be scheduled outside of your working hours.
Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. And then prioritize some more. It’s so easy to get caught up on things that are not actually important. You’re just not going to get everything done. It’s up to you to choose which tasks are actually worth doing. If there’s something on your to-do list that you just can’t seem to make time for, commit to getting it done, delegate it, or just cross it off completely.
In today’s ever-changing markets and short-lived viral sensations, you don’t have time to hesitate when starting a business. Time management gives you more time and frees you from deadline-related stress. It eliminates the guesswork in getting things done.