Time management is deemed a soft skill. A soft skill is a personal attribute needed for success on the job or within business. Time management is a key skill that any entrepreneur or business owner needs to master. It is the key to juggling the many crucial tasks that come your way on a daily basis.
Doing a lot, but not getting much done
Efficiency is an important aspect for any entrepreneur to grasp in order to accomplish all your daily tasks. The problem is that most entrepreneurs struggle with time management. There are often too many tasks to complete and just not enough hours in the day. Entrepreneurs often feel like they are running around like headless chickens. Doing a lot, but not getting much done.
What is time management?
Time management is the coordination of tasks and activities that will in turn maximize an individual’s effectiveness. The aim is to get more done better and in less time. Time is money, as the saying goes. This is likely the most valuable resource for any business owner. You only have so many hours in a day. Therefore how you manage these hours is of great importance.
Better manage your time, better manage your business
Entrepreneurs need to manage various roles and responsibilities within their business. Those that better manage their time will better manage their business. The more you practice time management, the better you will become at it. You may find yourself slipping into patterns of working on what’s easy and not what’s important.
Some time management tips that actually work
LISTS
It sounds pretty basic, but lists are key to managing your time better. Base your lists on what you would like to accomplish daily or weekly. Review these lists at the beginning and the end of each day. Make a list and prioritize accordingly. It can be quite rewarding review and tick off what you have completed.
SCHEDULE
Time is an investment in your business, it should not be squandered. Scheduling can help you break down your weekly and daily goals into actionable items. Work on aa schedule that works for you. Some people work best first thing in the morning. Schedule your most pertinent items for then. It’s important to block off time according to actionable items. Here’s a really great example of scheduling:
- 07:00 – Exercise/Meditation/Breakfast
- 08:00 – Daily To Do List
- 08:30 – Emails
- 09:30 – Calls/Meetings
- 11:30 – Return Calls/Messages/Emails
- 12:30 – Lunch
- 13:30 – Creative Work
- 15:30 – Time To Make Up For Interruptions
- 17:30 – Administrative Work, Business Development18:30 – Dinner With Friends Or Family
EISENHOWER METHOD
There is a difference between urgent tasks and important tasks. The process of prioritizing tasks is knowing the difference between important and urgent tasks. The “Eisenhower Method” of time management involves organizing tasks into four quadrants and actioning them accordingly:
- Important/Urgent Quadrant. Immediate tasks done by the entrepreneur personally
- Important/Not Urgent Quadrant. Tasks done by the entrepreneur personally but at a later date.
- Unimportant/Urgent Quadrant. Tasks to be delegated
- Unimportant/Not Urgent Quadrant. Tasks that should be dropped
