As an entrepreneur, it can often feel like you are juggling a handful of tasks, requests, and deadlines all at once. And while this is certainly part of the excitement and appeal of being an entrepreneur, it can also get a bit confusing and overwhelming, which inevitably can lead to missed deadlines, forgotten tasks, and not the best productivity levels. All of this will chip away the level of success your business is able to achieve, so time management needs to be a priority.
Rather than let yourself be consumed by that seemingly endless list of tasks, learning some simple time management hacks can make all the difference in the world. Not only will they help you stay on task, but they can even alter your way of thinking so that you feel more organized and efficient overall. So, here’s a look at the top three hacks to use.
Start Tracking Your Time
Time tracking can sound like a really restrictive task and something you don’t need, but here’s the thing, only by tracking your time will you be able to figure out where the time in your day goes. Think of it as an accountability tool. If you constantly feel like there aren’t enough hours in a day to get everything done, it’s time to track how you are spending each hour of your day.
Once you have tracked your time for a long enough period of time, trends will start to present themselves. This information can then be used to your advantage to make tweaks that will allow you to better use your time.
As for the best way to go about tracking your time, you can use a good old pad of paper and a pen, or you can use one of the many time tracking apps available.
Get Into the Habit of Planning Ahead
If you’re the type that likes to make decisions in the moment and doesn’t really believe in using a calendar or planning ahead, it’s time to change your way of thinking. This is the only way you can make the best use of your time, as you need to be sure you’re using every available block in the most productive way. You can start out small by planning one day or one week at a time, and build from there until you are planning one month, three months, six months, and even a year ahead.
Not only will planning ahead ensure that nothing is forgotten but it can also change your frame of mind and make you feel more in control and organized.
Ensure There is Seamless Communication with Team Members
Even though you are an entrepreneur, chances are you can’t do it all on your own – you will need help. Any time you’ve got employees working for you there needs to be a focus on clear and seamless communication. Everyone needs to be on the same page at all times.
For example, perhaps you rely on Outlook calendar for all your upcoming meetings and events. Well if you share that information with team members, they can use that data to create and analyze worthwhile reports. The good news is that there is a pretty simple way to export it to Excel, so this one is an easy task.
Start Getting More Done with Your Time
These time management tasks are not only going to make you feel more organized but they will allow you to get more done with your time. As soon as you start tracking and managing your time, your productivity levels quickly benefit from it.
