10 Time Management Tips to Help You Reach Your Goals
“I never have enough time”. Does this sound familiar? As business owners we often feel this way. Personally, it isn’t easy to accomplish my work goals and personal aspirations if I don’t manage my time wisely.
Over the past 20 years I have learned that the more time I spend doing one thing, the less time I have to do other things. If you’re reading this, then the chances are that you’re feeling the same way. I believe time management is one of the most essential and valuable skills you can have in life. If you don’t use your time wisely, you will achieve your work goals and reach your personal goals even less.
It is challenging, if not impossible, to predict one’s success. A considerable percentage of people will predict they won’t succeed at their goals, but many are pleasantly surprised when they do. The problem is that people don’t want to take the proper steps to achieve what they want. Procrastination often gets in the way; people say they don’t have the time, but it’s really because they don’t want to try.
That’s why time is your equalizer. Whether you take the long or the short way, time matters in the end; it is the one thing that we all get. Time is the element that we can’t take back. With all this in mind, these are a few helpful tips on time management that will ensure that you have everything you need to make the most out of every opportunity that comes your way.
1. Know your goals
Setting goals should not be haphazard; you should only set goals within your control and realistically achievable. If you don’t define your goal precisely enough, it will be challenging to achieve it. This is an important concept in many areas of life but is especially critical when striving for something significant, something difficult, or something that appears to be unobtainable.
Achieving goals is 90% mental and only 10% physical. Your goals should be as specific as possible. If you don’t know precisely what you want, it will be difficult — if not impossible — for you to achieve your goals. And a focused mind will not only bring about a focused body, but it will also bring about a focused spirit.
A criteria, or benchmark, will help you determine whether or not you are making progress towards your goal. If your goal is to become a world-class copywriter, the criteria might be to obtain five client projects per month. Using a system such as SMART goals can be a great way to ensure your goals are clear and reachable. A SMART goal is any goal you have that is:
- Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
- Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
- Achievable (agreed, attainable).
- Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).
- Time-bound (time-based, time-limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive).
Smart goals provide the clarity, focus, and motivation you need to achieve your goals. They can also improve your ability to reach them by encouraging you to define your objectives and set a completion date. Smart goals are also easy to use by anyone, anywhere, without the need for specialist tools or training.
I have a useful tool to help you with goal planning, check it out.
2. Understand how you currently spend your time
This seems like a no-brainer. You would think people would know how they spend their time each day. A month-long assessment is a great way to get an idea of your current habits. You’ll be shocked at how much time you waste on tasks that you could easily avoid if you do this. Set aside 1-1/2 hours each month to focus on this area for a month.
Oftentimes, it can take two or three weeks to see progress when starting this exercise. After that, make sure to tally up the numbers at the end of the month. This is a valuable step for most people who wish to achieve their goals. With this in mind, you’ll have an excellent foundation to build off of as you move forward with your efforts to succeed.
3. Prioritize
Sometimes it’s said that you should “eat the frog.” Other times it’s said you should “mosey on down the road” and do the most critical and daunting tasks first. The advice is succinctly sound no matter what you choose to call it: Do the most important and daunting tasks first.
You must take care of your toughest (non-admin) tasks before starting work on your easiest (admin) tasks. This will give you a head start on a productive day.
To help you get more done in less time, I like the quadrant system. It enables you to understand the most important task to do next, and it also tells you what tasks are unimportant and what tasks can be postponed. Using this system will tell you whether or not you’re spending enough time on high-urgency/high-importance activities and if you are spending too much time on low-urgency/low-importance activities. Using the categories below will help you get started.
- Urgent – Tasks that must be attended to immediately.
- Important – Tasks that must be attended to right away, but not urgent.
- Important but not urgent – These are necessary activities that do not have to be completed right away.
Tip: Minimize, delegate, or eliminate activities that are NOT necessary and/or can be done by someone else.
Add the 80/20 rule to your routine. This principle, also known as the Pareto Principle, states that most results come from only 20% of your efforts. Put this into practice by figuring out which tasks fall into the bucket of the most urgent 20%. Complete these tasks first, and leave the less critical tasks for later.
4. Plan ahead
It’s not enough to make a schedule. You must also include some time for day-to-day deviations. Make sure to plan for these deviations in advance because they’re inevitable. For example, you may decide to allow yourself one more minor task each day instead of skipping out on your task list altogether. Planning is essential for everyone, and all successful people make to-do lists. Setting goals for the day helps you get more done, but time itself is the ultimate motivator.
I understand that getting overwhelmed is easy. But, if you focus on the important things, the minor tasks will naturally take care of themselves. Setting up daily tasks helps lay out those more important goals and keeps you on top of everything that needs to get done. Start the day by writing down the three most important items you need to get done. This will give your day a jump start and keep you from getting overwhelmed.
Next, set your daily schedule by deciding what you want to accomplish that day, then make sure you achieve those things in the order they are most important to you.
Tip: Avoid multitasking; you’ll get more done. I know, I know it’s so easy, and some think they have mastered this “skill.” However, it’s a proven fact that multitasking is a significant drain on productivity. You can use many tools that let you set goals and to-do lists based on those goals. Or, if you are like me, you get some satisfaction from marking off your to-do list.
5. Set time limits for repeating tasks
Repetitive tasks often become a time suck. For example, one of the most daunting and repetitive tasks is email. Many days, achieving inbox zero rarely seems like a reality, at least for me! Reading and answering emails can consume your entire day if you let them. So, a helpful tip I have found to boost productivity is time-blocking using the Pomodoro Method. Set a timer, such as Tomato Timer, for 25 minutes for each task. You’ll be astonished at how much more effective you will become in just 7-days.
Remember, you don’t have to work “one more hour” to achieve your goals. It’s important to give yourself enough time to recover from the stresses of the day and the demands of the job. Make sure you take a 15-minute break every hour. Use this time to move around a little, stretch, drink some water and eat a small snack.
6. Protect your time
Sometimes it’s not only okay to say no; it’s required. You don’t have to agree to everything someone asks of you. You are the boss of your work. If you have a deadline, an urgent matter at hand, or need to prioritize your work, it is entirely acceptable to turn down a request. Sometimes, it’s essential to attend to what you need to do to move toward your own goals rather than focus on what others need. Therefore, you should channel all your energy into those areas that give you the highest likelihood of success.
Hire someone who can say “no” for you and to you. When you delegate, you free up more of your time and free up more of your energy as you don’t have to stress about the details of running a business or project. Instead, you can spend all your time on activities that you are genuinely excellent at, such as running the show. Doing things you don’t enjoy drains your energy and can even prevent you from using your skills in projects that will help you achieve your goals.
7. Don’t be afraid to walk away from a sinking ship
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received is this: Don’t get attached to anything that is not moving forward. In other words, abandon or re-associate with people who are bogged down with the problems of yesterday. This doesn’t mean you should walk away from a project or activity because it isn’t working out the way you would like. You should only walk away when you are 100% certain that the project or activity will not work out in any positive way or move your business/life forward.
If you’re a freelancer, agency owner, or entrepreneur with multiple clients and projects, this is a handy tip. You’ll learn ways to maximize your time and get more work done in less time. If one project hasn’t turned out the way you had hoped, don’t beat yourself up. Projects don’t always turn out as planned. Instead, realize that the time you spent trying to figure it out has passed, and accept that you now have a valuable lesson to teach others.
8. Declutter and organize
Don’t let your space get cluttered up with stuff. Tidy your space once a day, just a few minutes at a time. It will make a big difference. A home office is not just for business owners who want to get away from their family and friends. A home office can be a place where you can work undisturbed so you can produce your best work possible. If you are working from home, this will be a helpful habit to develop. You’ll discover how to get yourself organized so you can stay productive, even if you don’t go out for a walk or run every day.
Keeping things unorganized will cause your mind to wander off into the “doldrums” and prevent you from becoming mentally overloaded with the tasks at hand. Find what works for you. A cluttered desk works better for some people than a minimalist one. They like to have papers, notes, and other things around to keep them occupied and from getting sidetracked. Just make sure everything on your desk is functional. It should help you stay organized and focused on your goals.
9. Eliminate Mental Distractions
In addition to decluttering and organizing your physical workspace, you should also declutter and organize your mental space.
Distractions are tricky. In general, bad habits, natural inclinations to find distractions, and restless minds are all time-wasters. These days, life tends to interrupt us, even when we are in a meeting or trying to work. Our colleagues, meetings, social media, and other activities constantly drain our time and energy. We need a way to make sure we never lose sight of what’s important. Put your phone away, block out the websites you don’t want to check during work, and even get rid of the little things around your house that might be stealing your attention.
10. Balance
The idea of work-life balance is a difficult one these days. With technology, people are accessible around the clock and often fear their business will fail if they don’t work harder. In fact, a whopping 94% of working professionals and entrepreneurs reported working more than 50 hours per week, and nearly half said they worked more than 65. Experts agree: stress can mount from the compounding pressure of working long hours. You must prioritize yourself, your own needs and desires, along your overall goals. In the long run, it will make a huge difference.
You don’t have to do it all at once. Remember: “No man is an island,” and what is true for one part of your life is also true for the other parts.
Follow these steps to manage your time effectively.
Entrepreneurship is not only about making money. It is also about being a leader, having fun, and living life to the fullest. When you learn how to manage your time properly, you will enjoy more relaxation time and focus on yourself as a person. You will have endless opportunities to lead others and take care of your mental health, and have opportunities to benefit in ways that transcend any financial growth.
Consider scheduling a consultation with me when you feel stuck, overworked, or are drowning in completing tasks. I’ll help you think through your workload, delegate the tasks that are not your responsibility, and strategize how to show up confidently in your business.
So, What Did We Learn?
- Know your Goals – Setting goals should not be haphazard; you should only set goals within your control and realistically achievable.
- Understand How You Spend Your Time – A month-long assessment is a great way to get an idea of your current habits. You’ll be shocked at how much time you waste on tasks that you could easily avoid if you do this.
- Prioritize – Do the most important and daunting tasks first.
- Plan Ahead – Set your daily schedule by deciding what you need to accomplish that day. Often doing this the evening before will ensure your day is set up for success.
- Set Time Limits – To boost productivity is time-blocking using the Pomodoro Method.
- Protect Your Time – You are the boss of your work. Sometimes it’s not only okay to say no; it’s required. You don’t have to agree to everything someone asks of you.
- Walk Away – One of the best pieces of advice I ever received is this: Don’t get attached to anything that is not moving forward. In other words, abandon or re-associate with people who are bogged down with the problems of yesterday.
- Declutter and Organize – Keeping things unorganized will cause your mind to wander off into the “doldrums” and prevent you from becoming mentally overloaded with the tasks at hand.
- Eliminate Mental Distractions – Distractions are tricky. In general, bad habits, natural inclinations to find distractions, and restless minds are all time-wasters.
- Balance – You must prioritize yourself, your own needs and desires, along your overall goals.
Living life to the fullest
Entrepreneurship is not only about making money. It is also about being a leader, having fun, and living life to the fullest. When you learn how to manage your time properly, you will enjoy more relaxation time and focus on yourself as a person. You will have endless opportunities to lead others and take care of your mental health, and have opportunities to benefit in ways that transcend any financial growth.
Consider scheduling a consultation with me when you feel stuck, overworked, or are drowning in completing tasks. I’ll help you think through your workload, delegate the tasks that are not your responsibility, and strategize how to show up confidently in your business.
Links For This Episode:
Goal Planning Kit For Entrepreneurs
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