Time Management and Work

UGH. The dreaded time management and work article! I know, I know, we've all read a million articles on time management and we all know we need to manage our time better, but then why can't we? If you're a business owner, this article really is a good read with tips to help you on your way to time management.

Time Management Tips for Solo Entrepreneurs

By Jean Hanson

Does it seem like everyone and everything is vying for your

attention all at once? It can be hard for solo entrepreneurs

to know what to do first, let alone try to find the time to get

caught up. Here are some time management tips that will help you

to stay on top of it all:

1. Put your to-do list in writing and prioritize it. Studies show that people who write their lists down are 90% more likely to complete their list than those who do not.

2. Be realistic about how long it takes to get things done. Block out a reasonable amount of time on your planner, especially if it’s an appointment where there’s driving time to consider.

3. Schedule time with yourself, without interruptions. If that

means closing your office door and letting your voicemail take

phone messages, then that’s what you need to do. Do this at your

most productive time of the day. Are you a morning person? Start

your day out with some quiet time by yourself, when you’re the

most productive and focused.

4. Don’t multi-task. That’s right! These days, people have found

that they’re much more productive when they’re allowed to focus

on one task at a time, rather than constantly juggling a dozen

different projects at once. Think about it – don’t you feel like

you’ve actually accomplished something when you can cross things

off your list?

5. Are you a “yes” person? Learn to say no. Sometimes adding just one more thing to your to-do list means staying at work an extra hour. Ask yourself if you really have the time and energy to handle one more task. Don’t guilt yourself into it, especially if you’ll feel resentful later, for having done it.

6. Do you work at home? Don’t let common distractions sidetrack

you. That basket of laundry will still be there at the end of the day.

7. Try to combine like tasks. If you have lots of phone calls to

make and emails to respond to, make all of the phone calls first, then tackle the emails.

8. Keep all your contacts in one place, within easy reach. Do

whatever works for you, whether you keep an address book in your

day planner, in Outlook, or in your Palm. You need to have fast

and easy access to phone numbers and email addresses.

9. Use waiting time productively. When waiting for an appointment or traveling, catch up on reading trade magazines, writing correspondence, or jotting down creative ideas for marketing your business.

10. At the end of each day, plan for the next day. Write down

tomorrow’s to-do list, prioritize it, and then clean off your

desk.

Jean Hanson is a Certified Professional Virtual Assistant.

Discover how partnering with a virtual assistant will give you

more time to do the things you love to do! Visit her at

http://www.vaofficesolution.com. Jean is also the author of the

eBook, Virtualize Your Business -

http://www.virtualizeyourbiz.com.

 

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