Time management: 10 easy steps to get more done

How often do you feel like you've run out of time? As an entrepreneur, there's always something else you could be doing to grow your small business.

You've already set out to do great things, but finding your main areas of focus is key – use these 10 tips to boost your time management this year.

Be clear on your priorities

1. Set clear goals

Write down your goals for the next year – big or small – and give each a target date. Focus on the one that would have the biggest impact on your business.

Then write down all the actions you need to take to achieve that key goal, like:

• Reaching out to a supplier.

• Signing up for a networking event.

• Chasing an invoice.

Decide what you can do this week and then do one thing every week to move towards your goal.

2. Take away activities that can wait until later

If a magician could grant you an extra hour a day, what would you do with it? Or, if you lost an hour of your day, what would you stop doing? Now replace one with the other.

Think about how you can balance tasks that are urgent and not so urgent. For example, you might be considering finding a new supplier or applying for a grant. As important as those tasks might turn out to be in the long run, focus on the day-to-day jobs first.

3. Look after yourself

You can cope with almost anything as long as you're both mentally and physically strong.

Schedule regular time each week to exercise and relax – and keep that time sacred. If you start to feel stressed or overwhelmed, there are lots of steps you can take to stay positive and recharge your batteries.

Get organised

4. Keep your paperwork and emails tidy

Use an A to Z filing system for your paperwork. That will help you to quickly find what you need and stop a huge pile of papers overwhelming you each day.

For emails, you can "auto-filter" your inbox so that any non-priority emails go straight to their own folder, keeping your mind free to deal with the most relevant emails to you.

5. Declutter your working area

Instead of taking on the huge task of decluttering an entire room, break this down into individual shelves or drawers. Dedicate a few minutes a day to making progress and put each item into one of four buckets – keep, throw out, donate or sell.

6. Put good routines in place

Being productive means building routines into your working day. This is where to-do lists, calendars and online task management tools can help you – either on your phone or in a physical journal that's easy to carry around as you go about your day. The more you work to a routine, the easier your workday will be.

Work through your tasks efficiently

7. Delegate

Don't put everything on your own shoulders. As a founder, it can be hard to delegate or outsource tasks that you could easily do yourself. But delegating is key to getting more things done.

Where you can, delegate tasks to your trusted employees. Remember that by delegating – especially the tasks that you don't particularly enjoy doing – you're also allowing your staff to learn on the job.

8. Plan

"Failing to plan is planning to fail", as the saying goes. Look at your to-do list and decide what are tasks and what are projects that have a few different steps.

With the projects, write down all the steps so you know where to start and what's stopping you. Make sure the first step is something you can definitely complete, so the project doesn't come to a halt.

9. Create a "power hour"

Set aside an hour each day to focus on the most important thing you need to achieve that day.

You'll be amazed at what you can get done by switching off emails, phones, social media and any other potential interruptions.

10. Go back to those jobs you've been delaying

Choose an issue that you've been putting off for a while. Then start a timer for exactly five minutes.

Brainstorm the issue, without stopping, until the timer goes off. Read through what you've written and underline any significant insights or actions. What can you do first?

These snippets of advice are just the tip of the iceberg. By following these steps, you'll see how much more you can get done – and how your business benefits in the process.

Take our free Business Success Check to receive a personalised action plan that can help you plan ahead.

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