Time Management for success

Time Management essentials for business success

Do you feel there’s never enough time?

Do feel that you can never fit everything you want to do in a day?

Does your confidence drop sometimes because you feel
overwhelmed?

If so, then this article is for you!

Many small businesses need help in managing their time. Time
management can be a one of the essentials for small business
entrepreneur success. In our experience with small business coaching,
we always begin with effective time management principles.

Having more time is one of the most precious and sought after resources
we have. When you feel in control over your time you have more
confidence. Everyone has the same amount of time. However, some
seem to have more than others!

The real winners in life are those who know what they have to do and
when. They also don’t get stressed out about those things that they have
no control over.

So, how can you get more time?

There are three factors in total - lets have a look at them:

1. The first thing that you have to do is to identify how you

are spending your right now- both at home and at work.

What I would like you to do is write out the tasks or activities that you

must do in order for you to achieve the objectives of your job or at

home. These could include work tasks such as meetings,

appraisals, E-mails, documentation and the like. Home activities

could include cleaning, cooking, shopping, time with the children,

watching television. Write all of them down.

After you have identified what you have to do, the next step is to schedule
your work and activities both in terms of time and priority.

2. For successful time management, you must have a diary.

Once you have worked out the tasks that you have to do and their

relative importance - the next step that you have to do is to schedule

these activities into your diary.

In your diary, block out time for certain tasks. Also allow time for

optional tasks and regular duties - let people know when you are

available, also allow time for reviewing and planning at the end of

each day. Scheduling out time for planning is essential on a daily

basis. Within this time for planning you should draw up your

schedule and also a TO DO list for the next day using the

techniques that I have already mentioned. Cross out each activity as

you complete them and make sure that you complete them all.

3. The last area that we can look at is

time saving

techniques

These are the things that you can do to give yourself more time.

Firstly, by doing less, you can increase more of your available

time. I see so many people who are snowed under with their

workload and agenda, these people never seem to have a minute

to spare and just take on more and more work.

Let’s have a look at some of the things that you can do. The first and

most important question you can ask yourself is this:

Can I delegate certain activities?

You can reduce your workload by getting other people to do it for

you. You can also discourage unnecessary meetings, don’t take

work home, don’t take responsibility for other peoples problems

and don’t become bogged down with detail.

These are some of the things that you can do to free up some of

your time, but one of the most important things that you can do is

just by saying NO to certain requirements and requests that are

asked of you.

Secondly, another excellent time saving technique is by working

faster, and by reducing the time for particular tasks.

Ensure deadlines are set and adhered to, keep your

communications concise, take the most important tasks when you

are alert - it is more time efficient and productive. Learn how to

conclude meetings and conversations, ensure meetings are run

promptly and on time - there are many others.

The time management techniques that I have just described will start you
off in your quest to control every aspect of your life and, once you have
control over your time, you will perform more effectively and have greater
enjoyment in your life.

Sophie Lapaire, President
Bridgemakers Consulting

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