Time management is one of the most essential points of your startup business. It’s very easy to get distracted by tasks like emails and phone calls but making sure everything is running smoothly is crucial. Stephen R. Covey, businessman, educator, author, and keynote speaker said, “The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.” A very common question is how can you manage your time better? Fortunately, there are tools you can follow to manage your time well and keep productivity high. Below you will find tips on time management for your startup business. Time management is important because good time management allows you to accomplish more in a shorter period of time. That allows you to take on more opportunities, lowers stress, and helps you focus. All of those factors will help your startup business thrive.
What are the Key Elements of Time Management?
There are many elements that can help you manage time better, but there are five that are extremely effective and work best. It’s also important to have a proper time management mindset. What’s that? A proper time management mindset is the ability to see your options and choose the best use of your time.5 critical elements for time management:
Have a schedule and track everything
Manage your tasks and goals
Prioritize
Stop procrastinating and multitasking
Know your peak time and take breaks
Scheduling and Tracking
Scheduling and tracking everything is important for time management because it plans out your projects so you can complete your goals in the time that you have. When you track everything and schedule your time it allows you to determine what time to apply to what things and what you can complete in the time that you have. It allows you to plan for your top priority tasks, it helps you balance any unexpected projects/activities, avoid taking on too much, and progress in work and life goals. So, how do you manage your time if you have a new part-time business and a full-time job? Make sure the mindset you have for the business is long-term, prioritize tasks that make money and work on your business when you’re at your most productive. To schedule and track your time you can use apps, write in a journal, or you can simply use a calendar.
Managing Your Tasks and Goals
Task and goal management is the process of managing a task or goal through different steps. The steps are planning, development, and completion. Tasks and goals should be set in stone so it's clear what you have to do and when you have completed it. Once you have completed a task or goal it allows you to feel progress, feeling progress helps you stay focused and keeps your productivity high.
Prioritizing
Tasks will have different levels of importance. Prioritizing tasks allows you to identify your most important tasks and give those tasks more of your attention and time. This allows you to spend more time on other things. Prioritization plays a big role in planning. It’s a good way to make sure you meet your deadlines and it minimizes your stress.
Stop Procrastinating and Multitasking
Procrastinating causes mistakes, lack of confidence in your work, and rushed work. To avoid this when you schedule the time for a task make sure you put more time than actually needed so it gives you leeway to work without rushing. Also, don’t multitask. If you focus on just one task your productivity will increase and you’ll get more done.
Know your Peak Time and Take Breaks
Peak time is your most productive part of the day. It could be at six o’clock in the morning, noon, dinner time, or midnight. It is best to work during your peak time because that is when your productivity is the highest. Making sure you take breaks is also important because it will help you recharge and refocus.
Bottom Line
Starting a business is exciting, but it takes time and commitment to make sure you have success. Time management is key when it comes to your startup’s success. If you use these tips to manage your time your business startup should be smooth and stress-free. Need more help? See the videos we’ve curated about time management below.
Helpful Videos
The first video is How to Manage Time With 10 Tips That Work: https://youtu.be/go5XyuI7DkAThe second video is How to Make Time for Everything You Want to Do | Time Management & Organization: https://youtu.be/IsN82ljW3o0The third video is How to Manage Your Time Better: https://youtu.be/VUk6LXRZMMk