Every day has the same length but for some people time is never enough and others always manage to complete more than it seems possible. How exactly does it happen? As time is one of the most valuable assets we have, entrepreneurs often feel the pressure from the lack of it. Before you start reading books or taking lectures on time management, you need to realize that time in general differs from your own time in particular.
Why do you fail in your time management? We all have 24 hours per day and it is up to us how we use them. Time management is a skill that you need to develop particularly and personally according to your lifestyle and work essence.
Now we know that there is no specific recipe to follow, because business is not a piece of pie, but there are certain things that you can do to help you become the master of your own time.
Value your time
Before you handle something, you must know how valuable it is for you and how the poor management of it can affect your work performance. It is said that “Time is money” and we can easily see how this two elements of the business purpose mix together. Value your time and respect it. This will help you manage it better.
Plan
Never miss the opportunity to schedule your days and organize your tasks. Spend some time every day to plan what you have to do. Here you can put your personal preferences – write down your schedule whenever you like to – in the end of the day or in the morning, in the middle of the day or on weekends… It is up to you, as soon as you have everything in clear order, you are all set to go and save some time deciding what to start next.
Start with what is important
Decide what cannot wait and start with doing it as soon as you get to work. Again, it is very personal experience and it has to be devoted specifically to your business. It is very important to stay true to your personal style. Some of you can start with the e-mails if this is what really cannot wait, others can focus on working on the big project from the morning and leave the meetings for the afternoon.
Eliminate distractions
As part of your daily schedule you need to organize your time according to your duties. Try to eliminate everything that doesn’t require specific attention and leave it for the after work hours. Unnecessarily distractions are one of the biggest reasons for poor time management.
Spend time between tasks
Rushing creates the feeling of desperation when it comes to time management. This is why you have to be very careful how you switch between tasks. The overwhelming feeling of endless busyness is one of the reasons why you fail to manage your time in the right way. Give yourself time between tasks and you will have the opportunity to focus on the next task without feeling pressure.
Put realistic deadlines
Deadlines are the most common reasons to feel the pressure of time and when the right overview of the whole tasks is calculated wrong the inability to complete the planned work on time can lead you to desperation. Before you set yourself the deadlines, make sure that you are able to complete the work on time. Overall, avoid compromising the quality over time and the opposite – do not compromise the time over the quality. Find the balance in the golden middle.
Avoid procrastination
One of the biggest problems when it comes to time management for entrepreneurs is procrastination. It is one very sensitive matter that needs special attention and here you can find more about how you can eliminate it.
Create routines
Routines are great way to manage your time. They might be a little more difficult to create but definitely will pay off with great results. Find the model of time management which completely suits your business and daily schedule and work on creating the habits to follow this model.
Work out
Connect your body and mind to improve your work performance. Find some time for physical activity which will help you to recharge so you can insure more productive performance. Include half an hour per day for training and you will have clearer mind to organize your work tasks according to your time limits.
Do not panic when time is limited
Time mismanagement is the cause of a lot of pressure which can affect your work performance. When time is limited you need to be more focused, not the opposite. Do not get stuck in the loop of negative emotions and try to calm down. Once you reach your inner balance again it will be easier to find the solution for your problem and to use your shortened time as productive as possible.
Seek help when it is needed
Be ready to ask for help when you feel the time pressure. Rely on your team and do not hesitate to ask for help. Be careful not to destroy someone else’s time schedule so you can fulfil yours. It is team work and you have to respect the time of others too.
Rely on technology
Use the tools and apps which will help you manage your time in a better way. Organizing your schedule has never been easier and you are able to use the tech advantages of our millennium to improve your work performance.
