Time is one major resource which can not be recovered when lost. It is also severely limited. If used properly, it usually translates to money. Without any actionable time management tips, many small business owners are so disorganised that they practically waste their precious time all day long running after things which add very little value to their businesses. Yet these same entrepreneurs perpetually complain of lack of sufficient time to run their businesses.
For every business owner, any minute which ticks on the clock daily literally represents money earned or lost. The truth is that time is very easy to waste. If you have no practical plan in place about how to use your time daily, the day will simply go by before you even realise it. The situation is however not as hopeless as many entrepreneurs believe it is. This is because with simple planning, time can be managed effectively.
5 actionable time management tips
Smart entrepreneurs usually rely on these 5 actionable time management tips to make the best use of their time. From experience, many have learned how to:
Set goals
Set only specific and achievable goals. One of the best ways to use time in your business is to organise your day into a series of goals which have specific milestones. For instance, you must be able to pencil down a specific activity you want to achieve at every hour of your working day. That becomes a simple daily plan which usually takes only about 10 minutes to draw up.
If properly done, it will show clearly defined small tasks/activities you will have to carry out to achieve some set goals. If achieved as set, the series of small tasks achieved will translate into a bigger accomplishment at the end of the day. By breaking larger goals into smaller tasks, you will be able to accomplish your main goals more effectively. That becomes fairly easy to do because with the simple plan in place, you know exactly what steps to take and what to do at every hour and every turn of events during the day.
Have focus
Do one thing at a time. There is some research evidence to the effect that doing too many things at a time no matter how mundane these things are, greatly reduces your efficiency and effectiveness. Management experts estimate that focusing on one thing at a time can actually double your productivity, work output, and job performance.
The best way to go therefore is to try to do one thing at a time then focus on that one task until it is complete before you move to another task.
Be organised
One of he simplest but most powerful actionable time management tips in my list is to organise your time and work space. It is always very difficult to work in an organised manner when everything around you is in chaos. Many organisational experts agree that the first step to increasing productivity is clear and then organise your work space.
In any work environment, it is always more beneficial to eliminate everything which is not necessary to make room for the things which are. That way, a clear order is established which goes a long way to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
Keep to do lists
Write down everything you want to do. There is always something captivating about committing any plan to writing. By writing down the details of your plan of action for the day, you will be equipped with something tangible to nudge and guide your performance for the whole day.
Even with inevitable distractions, your conscience forces you to return to that plan again and again no matter how many times you get distracted. That is the best way to check aimless and time-wasting drifting from one task to another because of unexpected distractions.
Prioritise correctly
Focus on more important tasks. In any business, many activities usually contend for attention however some are always more important than others. Your ability to distinguish between what is more important to the bottom line of the business and what is less so is very vital here. This often helps save arguments amongst the team too.
If you are able to do so, it will enable you to focus more on those activities which help to get a lot more productive work done in less time. That is one of the best ways to achieve more in less time.
In Summary
The amount of precious time lost daily by most workers is mind-boggling. Microsoft researchers have found out that most workers use only about 60% of their available work time productively. The rest 40% goes to avoidable waste. With these 5 actionable time management tips, if used effectively, it is possible to reduce that waste to 20% or even less.
You can imagine the boost in productivity if workers can use 80% or more of their time productively. That possibility must be an eye-opener for new entrepreneurs who are very keen to succeed in their chosen businesses. If you are a new entrepreneur, you must note carefully that efficient time-management is one sure step in the direction of business success.