If you struggle to manage your time, you may just need to a few things in place to help. A thirty-hour day will not solve your problems…
Here are 8 simple ways to help you improve your time management skills. Use these strategies for the next couple of weeks and see if they can help you increase productivity.
1) Plan Ahead –Plan the following day at the end of each day, the following week at the end of each week, the following month at the end of each month.
2) Use A Digital Calendar and Blocking Time – You need to focus on developing your business, not remembering appointments, so use a digital calendar with automatic reminders. Put time blocks to cover key areas you need to focus on. Find a way to group similar daily tasks into individual time blocks to save time and make the most of your day.
3) Use a Gatekeeper – Have someone else manage your schedule, screen your visitors and your phone calls rather than be disturbed at random throughout the day. If this isn’t possible, set times for calls to go to voice mail and block a time for returning calls. This way the urgent won’t take priority.
4) Increase your “Green Time” – Schedule some quiet time on your calendar and let your employees know you will be unavailable. Use this time to think about your business – your strategy. It will become the most important part of your business.
5) Prioritize – Using your plan from the night before, you should have a priority of what needs doing. Make it a point to try to complete the priorities you identify.
6) Be Thorough – Moving on from one unfinished task to another can be highly unproductive and unfinished projects will pile up. Try to complete what you start – delegate to someone else, or abandon it completely.
7) Organize Your Meetings – Have a clear purpose for the meeting, an agenda and make sure you start and end on time. This demonstrates a respect for everyone’s time – especially yours.
8) Learn to Say “No” – When your employee brings you a problem, resist the urge to solve it. Giving them the responsibility to think it through will free you up. This doesn’t mean you won’t step in when necessary…but get into the habit of letting others come up with solutions.