Everyone makes time management mistakes. In fact, much of the process of creating systems that work for you is a trial and error process.
However, if you can avoid some common mistakes you’ll be able to streamline your processes and eliminate much of the trial and error.
You’ll be able to focus on the tasks of building and growing your business and spending your day doing what you love.
Mistake #1 Not Creating A Schedule That Works For YOU.
Make sure, when you create your schedule you take the following into consideration:
- When are you most productive? For example, are you better able to focus first thing in the morning?
In the evening after the sun has gone down? Mid-day? When is your best time to work? This is the time to schedule the high priority or profit producing tasks.
- What is your family/personal schedule? Parents, spouses, children and outside commitments all play into your productivity and your schedule.
For example, if you volunteer at your child’s school every Friday then it’s probably a good idea to keep Friday clear and to focus on your business the other days of the week.
- How much do you want to work each day or week? You’re not required to work every day from 9-5. In fact, if you want to work two days a week or six it’s all up to you. However, when you’re planning your business, keep your needs in mind.
Mistake #2 Not Recognizing Time Suckers
Time suckers are those habits and tasks that take way more time than you think they do. They consume your day and before you know it, it’s time to pick up your kids from school or make dinner.
So….what is keeping you from being productive?
Common time suckers include:
- Email – Aim to outsource and automate some of your email and then check it no more than twice daily. (Experts recommend not checking email first thing in the morning. Instead save it for the end of the day when you’ve already accomplished the important items on your task list.)
- Bookkeeping – Outsource/automate what you can and then set aside time each week or month to get the rest done.
- Social networking – Be disciplined here. Schedule your social networking time and stick to it!
- Perfectionism – yes, you absolutely can spend way too much time on a project. Do your best and move on. If you struggle with this one, consider giving yourself a time limit.
- Procrastination – Figure out why you’re procrastinating. It’s generally a sign that your system for whatever you’re procrastinating on isn’t working.
Automating and/or outsourcing this task is often an easy way to end procrastination forever.
- Household chores and errands – You can outsource these too. Housekeepers are great for business owners. And if that’s not in the budget consider scheduling your errands and chores into your day/week.
That way you can focus on the most important tasks and know you have time set aside to manage your home later.
- Online learning, searching and browsing – it’s easy to spend an entire day perusing information about your industry and you can learn a lot. However, spending a day surfing the internet isn’t productive.
Consider outsourcing any research you may need.
Subscribe to blogs that you commonly visit using a reader. Then you can stay up to date by spending an hour or two on the weekend or in the evening when you’re not normally “Working”.
Mistake #3 Forgetting about Balance
It’s almost guaranteed that if you neglect to plan for and schedule time away from your business, you’re going to suffer from burnout.
We’ve already discussed burn out a bit. It affects your joy, your ability to focus and stay productive and it affects your bottom line. A balanced life is important to the success of your business.
Now, like creating time management systems there is no one size fits all approach to balance.
A balanced life is individual – you have to decide if you’re living a balanced life.
No one can decide it for you and no one can tell you what your ideal schedule looks like.
Consider:
- Taking time off each day to spend time on your own health and well being. It can be something as simple as taking a daily walk. You can sign up for a class or meditate. Spend time each day taking care of you. Ten minutes is a bare minimum. Consider taking at least thirty.
- Taking time off each week to spend time with friends and family. Your social life is an important part of your overall happiness. In fact, scientists have learned that laughter and connections with friends and family help you live longer.
- Taking time away from your business monthly/quarterly/annually. You are the boss and that means you get to create your schedule.
Yet, if you’re like most if you don’t schedule it you won’t take it. Entrepreneurs are notorious for being very driven individuals. So consider scheduling time away from your business regularly.
And that doesn’t mean you have to take the standard two week vacation each summer. Do what works for you. If working two weeks a month and taking two weeks off a month is what works for you then do it.
Action Step!
List the activities or habits that distract you from being productive or get in the way of managing your time wisely – time suckers.
Take a moment and write down a theoretical schedule.
When would you work during the day or the week?How many hours each day/week do you want to spend on business related tasks?How many hours do you want to spend on personal activities/interests?In the introduction we discussed the fact that there is no right or wrong way to manage your time as long as the systems you create support you to be productive, grow your business and enjoy your life.
That being said, we would be remiss if we didn’t share some of the time management tips that experts use and teach around the world.
The final article in this report is simply a nice list of a few expert time management tips. Try them if they sound like they’d support you and your time management style.
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