24 hours are not enough. I need better Time Management. #ABC

‘24 hours in a day are not enough to get everything done to improve my business and achieve my goals. I need better time management’ This is one challenge I’ve heard over and over again from a lot of people.

#ABC is April Blog Challenge and I’d promised to blog about one small business challenge a day, every day in April. Today is day three and we talk about time management.

Unfortunately, 80% of the world’s population are victims to multitasking confusion and mishaps, dwindling time, trying to crunch too much into too little time, brain drain, procrastination and mind fog due to all this.

Time management is absolutely a big deal. A few people have realized that instead of managing time, if everyone can manage self, a lot can be achieved. To me it’s all about prioritization. Gaining a better insight into mastering your to-do list goes a long way. Instead of mastering time, let’s gain mastery over self.

We have already established that doing everything in your business is not a good strategy. With delegation, prioritization and discipline as main themes, we can certainly find a sustainable approach to make the available hours work for us.

Delegation

Delegation does not easily come to small business owners. Especially those solo entrepreneurs who started business from scratch, designed their processes and cultivated their one-person work culture. It’s a common feeling to be overwhelmed and yet assigning duties to another person will not feel comfortable because you’re not sure that the results would be as good as you’re doing it yourself.

Hire the right people, only those people with experience who have brought in results for another employer. People who can work independently, without you giving them an agenda or micromanaging every single minute of their work. Someone with experience will always be a right hand in your business, bringing in new ideas, taking over the mundane yet necessary tasks and creating an easier workflow by freeing up a lot of your time.

Outsourcing

Outsourcing is also another way of delegating… If you are a website designer, you could outsource content writing. If you are a busy plumber who has to rush from client to client, outsource telephone calls and email communications to a suitable company. If you are a home designer, outsource petty tasks that consume your time, such as delivery, pickup, or getting digital artwork done.

Most businesses as they get busy can delegate or outsource tasks such as content creation, bookkeeping, accounting, invoice, customer service calls, appointment booking and calendar management.

Prioritization

Not prioritizing your tasks for the day is the biggest culprit behind poor  time management. My favourite habit that I like to pass on to clients is, before you leave your office for the day jot down three main tasks for the next day. Your primary focus should be only on those three tasks that will take you closer to your goal.

To begin with clearly sketch your big picture, your vision, write down your goals and steps you need to take in order to reach those goals. Chunk it down to bits that you can do every day. Schedule them appropriately and jot them down into your to-do list.

Discipline

Discipline is easier talked about than achieved. Schedule your major blocks of time for your prioritized to-do list. And for those parts of time let nothing disturb you. If powering down your cell phone is not a feasible idea, do the best you can to stay strong.

Enforce enough discipline to not jump at notifications. That means no checking emails, answering emails, scrolling down social media are indulging in other such distractions. Magic Work Cycle is something I use to keep me aligned.

When you put your phone away and turn a deaf ear to notifications while you are working on your prioritized goals, you will realize that you can focus better, get the critical tasks done and thus accomplish a lot and get closer to your goal.

Connect with me if time management is your biggest challenge, I can help you set goals and priorities and achieve much more while also staying accountable.