You can’t manage time, but you can manage yourself and make good use of the time you have.
Time management skills are especially important for solopreneurs and small-business owners who often perform many different jobs during the course of a day.
A key to managing your time is identifying where your time is going and pinpointing personal time-wasters.
Make a list of what you do during the day and how much time you spend on each activity. Then list the most valuable activities – those that generate the greatest revenue for your business and constitute the highest, best use of your time.
Once you’ve identified these activities, make sure you allocate sufficient time to them.
A time management tool, such as Outlook or a day planner, can help you organize and plan so that you spend your time productively.
Begin every day by prioritizing tasks and setting goals for that day. Establish routines and stick to them as much as possible. Limit time spent on mundane tasks such as running errands and making personal calls.
Take time to organize and set up systems for filing, data management, record-keeping, scheduling and the like. Be sure these systems are efficient, transparent and easy to use – and then make use of them.
Avoid overscheduling yourself. Set time limits for meetings, calls and interruptions.
Delegate or outsource where you can. Always have something with you to occupy dead time or time spent waiting.