You did it! You filed for that LLC or you finally registered your DBA. Now you are truly a business owner and it’s time to look at how to manage your time.
At first it’s going to be extremely difficult because you’ll have to give everything that you’ve got to the business to get it off the ground. But as time goes along it’s important to remember that time management will always be important.
Don’t Take Work “Home”
One of the biggest problems that has occurred since the pandemic is that people continually take work home. What this does is blur the line between business and home life, which disturbs your ability to separate out spaces for work and for life.
Many people, including myself, have reached the point where work is at home, therefore it’s even harder to separate our spaces. A great way to manage your time is to make sure that you have two separate spaces: one that is for work and the other that is for life. You’ll find that this helps immensely when working on your time management.
Use Time Management Strategies
Something that works for just about everyone is using a time management strategy or method. There are several that can be used such as the Pomodoro method or time blocking, both of which are covered below. Time management strategies are some of the best ways to ensure that you are following through with your schedule, and your goals.
Pomodoro
The Pomodoro method is where you set a specific amount of time to work and then an equally specific amount of time dedicated to a break. What makes this strategy unique is that it operates off of 15 to 30 minute intervals. Instead of extended intervals such as two to three hours, you’re breaking up your day even further to allow your mind time to process.
Block Timing
Block timing is another great method because this is where you can set specific blocks of time for specific tasks. Using this strategy, you can see your full day and understand what your goals are at a glance. This is one of the best ways to manage your time when working to balance both your business and your personal life
Plan Your Breaks
One of the simplest ways that you can manage your time is to plan your breaks during the day. Unlike the block method and Pomodoro timing, you are setting specific times during the day to take a break from what you’re doing.
For those who need a more freeform type of time management, this is what can work best. It allows you to mark your day and keep track of time while also letting you do whatever work you have at hand.
Hire a Virtual Receptionist
Did you know that there are Spanish-speaking virtual receptionists? And did you know that virtual receptionists are one of the most needed jobs at the moment?
The reason is that a virtual receptionist can actually do your time management for you by planning out your day. That’s part of their job! Whether or not you need a bilingual receptionist or an English speaking receptionist there are several different avenues that you can use to find a receptionist that works for you.
Don’t Multitask
I’ll say it again.
Don’t multitask!
It has been found that multitasking can lead to a half done job on everything that’s being worked on. Multitasking is one of the worst ways to try and get your work done.
If you are trying to have a conversation with a customer while also working on your product or with your team, then you’re only going to be able to pay half attention to the customer and only halfway help your team.
This is why it is one of the worst ways to try and get work done. It is not a helpful time management tool and it is actually one of the worst time management methods ever!
Have a Daily Debrief
At the end of your day before you head home, a great way to make sure that you have met your goals, is to do a daily debrief. The way that you can do this is by comparing what you had on your to-do and what you have actually accomplished through the day.
This will help you see what is actually accomplishable throughout the day for you as an individual. The more you do a daily debrief, the more you’re going to be able to see how to manage your time.
Conclusion
As a business owner, being able to manage your time is both a constant practice and something that will have to change on a regular basis. Each day is going to take a different form of time management based upon what challenges you have to face. Be prepared to be flexible, because that is truly the most effective way to manage your time.
