Time Management for Small Business Owners
I recently read "Onward" by Howard Schultz, the Founder of Starbucks. While I thought the story of how Starbucks went from a small Seattle coffee shop to an International staple was great, the amount of relatability with what Howard shared about starting and running a company made the book for me. My favorite quote is, "The companies we dream of and build from scratch are part of us and intensely personal. They are our families. Our lives." When you start and own a business, that business becomes a part of you. These are quite literally our business babies and wanting to put so much effort and time into them is something that comes naturally. BUT, there needs to be a limit. As much as we want to put all our time into something we love, it is not practical or healthy.
Whether you're a one-person show or have a small team, it's hard to spread your time out and get everything done. It feels not even humanly possible to accomplish everything we need to in the amount of time we have...not to mention, having a personal life as well. Whether your business is just starting or if it has been around for a while, making sure you're managing your time effectively is a critical skill to have as a business owner.
How, though? What works best for us: getting tools, setting hours, working in blocks.
Tools
Apps, systems, calendars, and teams - whatever tool you need to automize the process and lessen your workload, will be valuable to you. The biggest hesitation when it comes to tools is the investment. Some cost money and all cost some amount of your time to research, implement, onboard, and run, so it can be a harsh leap to take. In spite of that, they are worth it! That feeling of finally finding the right tool that works for you is sometimes better than that first sip of coffee in the morning.
Set Hours
OMG! We said it. Set hours. And stick to them. Just because your business is a big part of your life, does not mean it needs to be all of it. Of course, there will be times when it's an emergency or more urgent that it can't wait until your hours start, but for the most part, it can wait. Having a work-life balance is not an option anymore, it's a must. When you put so much heart into your business, I'll be the first to say that it's worrisome to not want to fix everything the moment it pops up. Chances are, it will probably be fine to wait for a few more hours.
Work in Blocks
By the hour, by the day, by the week, or even by the month - whatever works best for you. If you breakdown your time into blocks by task, project, or client, it allows you to set a schedule and focus on one thing at a time. 2.5% of people are able to multitask effectively, so, if you're not in that 2.5%, (*and we say this with love*) don't. You might find that the quality of your work can increase, but also, that you will be able to get more done! We definitely are not saying you need to have every second of your day planned out, but allotting a certain amount of time can help you manage your to-do list and help you not experience burnout.
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