The most valuable resource available to your home business is time. Unfortunately, it is one of the few things for which you cannot buy, barter or beg. Here are a few time management strategies for work at home entrepreneurs.
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The “15-Minute Task” List – Keep a list of tasks that take only 10 to 20 minutes to complete. This list may include things like leaving a meaningful comment on one new, relevant blog, replying to an email, responding to a few tweets in your Twitter stream, etc. These are small tasks that can make a big impact in the long-term success of your business, but they are often put aside and then forgotten. Keep a reminder close and tackle them one by one as you have time.
Do Not Multitask – You probably earned your Multitasking Badge within your first few days working at home. This is not a badge of honor, however. Those tiny little distractions you jump around to complete while working on an important project can get you mentally off-track, delay your project’s completion or even sidetrack your efforts entirely. Instead, keep another little list (we love lists around here) to jot down those things that come mind at the worst time.
Big Tasks First – For many, mornings are a time of mental clarity, energy and enthusiasm. Use this perfect storm to your advantage by putting the most important task of the day at the front of the line. This benefits you in a few ways. Your project is accomplished much quicker and with less effort when in a productive mindset, and this sense of accomplishment can carry you through the rest of the day.
End of the Week Wrap-Up – Take a few moments on Friday afternoon or Saturday to clear out your inbox, write down that first big task for Monday morning and clean off your desk. Your week will start much more smoothly if you invest a little time in making sure you are prepped for productivity and these time-wasters have been completed in advance.
Be Conscious (and Honest) About How You Spend Your Time – I will be the first to try to convince myself that surfing the net is “research,” chatting on Facebook is “marketing” and drooling and DIYing on Pinterest is “connecting with the masses.” Sometimes these activities really are business-related, other times not so much. Be aware and honest with yourself about how your time is being spent and the return on that investment.
If It Isn’t Productive, Pass It Along – You are going to uncover a long list of home business tasks that are not the best investment of your time. Those tasks may be “busy work,” things that not within your current skill set or maybe they are simply tasks that you do not enjoy. Pass these things along to an online service provider.
What is your strategy for getting the biggest return on your time investment?
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About Angie Nelson
Big Things First – definitely! I’m trying to make that my standard practice. I write daily for my blog and sometimes it’s 9:00 p.m. when I’m finishing the next morning’s post. I HATE when that happens. I never mean to do it that way but life gets in the way. So lately I’ve been trying to do the most important blog stuff first. Then I fill in later with the rest. If something happens and I don’t get to it, I’ll don’t have to panic. Life works much better when I follow that rule – Big Things First!
Prioritizing is key, Patty. It takes practice though!
:O Do Not Multitask??!! — but you are EXACTLY right. I get distracted. I have 210 things going on at once but none of them are finished…because I keep hopping around from one thing to the other.
I think that one falls under the category of “do as I say and not as I do.”
Hi Angie,
This is something we all are struggling or struggled with.
It benefits me a lot to wake up early in the morning and starting with the most important task.
It is a great feeling to know that it is all done after.
It’s like not being stressed for a while.
Sandy
Hi – s stopping by from the SITS sharefest. I like your blog. It’s very inspiring and full of great info. These time management tips are pretty helpful as well. I just learned in the past year that multitasking isn’t the way. I need to try the end of week wrap-up.
Great ideas, I need to remember to do the largest task first thing. Inevitably each morning I get sucked in by whatever emails need responses first so by the time I actually start working on the big project, an hour or two of productive time are already gone.
Emails can be the worst distraction, Tanya. I am trying to regain control in that area myself.
Fantastic tips! Big things first, that’s always my motto, it stresses me a lot less that way. The “do not multitask” tip is something I have been realising lately, I end up too scattered and with a need to regroup and in the end it just takes that bit longer to do everything and anything. I keep a notebook with lists always but sometimes I’m even too busy to write on it. Here from SITS
PS-I just thought, would you like to link this up on here? I wrote this linky post a while ago but many mums are finding it very useful. If so, please go ahead http://www.feistytapas.com/2012/01/working-from-home-with-kids-linky.html
Thanks, Maria!
This is so helpful and I really needed to read it today. I am right in the middle of a few different things, and I find myself trying to multi-task, which is helping no one! Thank you! Happy SITS Saturday!
It’s amazing how we, for some odd reason, think multi-tasking is the answer when in reality it does more harm than good.
These are such great tips. I’m constantly multi-tasking and definitely am not honest with myself about how I spend my time. I love the idea of a weekly wrap-up. I will definitely do that today!
Great tips. Thanks. I have a hard time separating my personal web-life from my business web functions. I’m trying, but it’s hard.
Great tips. I agree about multi-tasking, I think it’s better to focus on one thing at a time. Something I’ve been thinking about is letting things go… I interviewed a high profile entrepreneur on my blog this week and asked how she balances career and motherhood, and she was quite frank about NOT being able to balance it all, but giving herself permission to fail. Like your last tip… I think it’s important to choose what to let go
Hi Angie, great tips specially ‘ Big tasks first’ ! I think I’m able to finish more work in a day, once I get the main task done first. I guess it works as a motivating factor
Great tips! I find myself playing on Facebook way too much. I need my strict rules for myself about that. It can be such a time waster. I like the idea of 15 minute tasks too.
Pass it Along. Good tip. Can sometimes be difficult to hand over control of your work, to someone else but if it is for the better of the business then you must do it.
Where was this list 5 years ago when I really needed it. The books I have read and the seminars, you name it I have tried it. Then there is no list for the summer when the kids are home with dad. You have no choice but to multi task then. Lol
i really like this list short sweet and to the point. And if followed can be very effective. I just printed it out and my son is walking it over to me as I am typing this post. (The kids can be a help at times)
Thanks for the good read.