Ever have one of those days where the time seems to disappear before you got anything done? Time management is perhaps one of the biggest challenges for work-at-home entrepreneurs because unlike in the corporate world, no one is looking over your shoulder.
Frittering away your time is a dangerous habit because very quickly, those few minutes become hours. Before you know it, the entire day is gone before you even start your to-do list, much less get to the stage where you are crossing things off.
How to Make the Most of Every Minute:
#1: Become Time Aware – Know where your time goes and plan accordingly. For example, if your morning routine takes you 37 minutes, don’t count on getting it done in less than 30 minutes because you start your day already behind schedule.
#2: Have a Plan – Get in the habit of outlining a rough schedule of how you plan on using your time for the day. Schedule your meetings and work blocks in your calendar, and use the in-between time to tackle your to-do list. If you are guilty of wasting time, consider scheduling your less important tasks as well. The best time to create your plan is the night before, but if you don’t have time, make creating your daily work plan your first priority for the day.
#3: Set Strict Limits – Don’t let time get away from you. Impose strict limits on how long you spend on each task. That way you aren’t tempted to fuss around with perfecting whatever you are working on and instead, focus on getting it done. This is especially important for meetings and conference calls where time gets wasted on unfocused discussion or socializing.
#4: Avoid Time Wasters – Know what time wasters tempt you away from your focus work. Common culprits include checking email, visiting on social media, socializing with friends or family who call during your office hours or fake-work projects, like cleaning your office or reorganizing files.
#5: Fill the Gaps – Check small tasks off your to-do list while waiting for a meeting or conference call to start or if you need a break between major tasks. It all adds up so making the best use of 2 or 3 minutes here and there throughout the day means getting ahead on your laundry list of tasks that need doing during the week.
