Time is valuable for any business owner, so it is important you manage your time effectively.
Inc. offers the following time management skills to help you maximize every minute of your workday.
- Time estimation. When estimating the time it takes to complete tasks, projects and assignments, the more accurate you are, the more successfully you will create business plans. Ask questions such as: How long will it take to receive an order from a vendor? How long will it take to write a brief email to a customer? Use your past experiences as a baseline for future time estimations.
- Punctuality. To improve punctuality, you must make yourself visibly aware of the current time and be honest about your current interactions with time. Wear a wristwatch or smartwatch, use an alert on your desktop or set a timer. Additionally, ask yourself questions such as: Do I make a point to plan my travel so I will arrive promptly? Do I tend to work on one last thing before I leave for an appointment? Do I incorrectly tell myself I have plenty of time?
- Patience. Make a point to fully experience the present moment. What can you be grateful for right now in your business? What have you accomplished during the past few weeks and months? If you are feeling frustrated by a lack of visible progress in an area of your business, turn your attention toward another area and acknowledge things will unfold in their own time.
- Improvisation. As you run your business, there will be times when you do not have the full picture—information or resources may be incomplete. This is when you can improvise and learn how to make do with the time and resources available. Consider what you can complete in small chunks of time, such as making a phone call or reviewing a document. If you only have a minute, take a few deep breaths and review your to-do list.
