Time Management

Time is precious, particularly when it comes to leading a team. inorder to maintain

some semblance of work-life balance, time management skill really need to be on point. After
all, there are never more than 24 hours in a day. Some entrepreneurs respond to this fact of
life with focus and purpose. Others freak out.

With the right time management techniques, one can take control of his orher time,
making their work efficient, productive, and relatively stress-free. The following time
management tips can help to get their work done.

1. Setting goals

Goal setting is crucial to any good time management strategy. One need to define
those goals in terms that are clear and attainable so that they can engage in activities that
support their business goals. The goal states exactly what needs to be attained; the goals
should be attainable, very relevant, and time-bound

2. Prioritize wisely

Once the goal is set and determined the individual tasks need to be completed to
achieve the goal, it is time to prioritize. Stephen Covey, the co-author of First Things First,
offers advice on how to work through the to-do list based on urgency.

Important and urgent:

If a task falls into this category, one should know it must be done right away. All
energy should be focused on completing the most important and urgent tasks before moving
on to less time-sensitive items.

Important but not urgent:

These are tasks that may appear important, but upon closer examination, can be
postponed to a later date if necessary.

Urgent but not important:

Tasks that make the most “noise,” but when accomplished, have little or no lasting
value. Delegate these tasks if possible.

Not urgent and not important:

These are the low-priority tasks that offer the illusion of being busy. These tasks can
be done later.

3. Just say no

Any leader has to decline a request in order to attend to what is truly important and
urgent, and they should not hesitate to do so. The same goes for any projects or activities that
would head nowhere. The leaders have to be prepared to move on to more productive tasks.
They have to learn from experience to avoid wasting time later on.

4. Plan ahead

One of the worst things that leaders do is jump into the workday with no clear idea
about what needs to get done. While it might seem like a waste of time to take five to ten
minutes to think ahead rather than getting straight down to business. If the leaders plan time
wisely, they can focus on one task at a time, rather than wasting time jumping from one thing
to the next. This allows any leader to work smarter and not harder. The leaders can plan the
night before or in in the morning, but never begin their task without planning.

5. Eliminate distractions

The leaders should start paying attention to the number of times someone interrupts
them when they are in the midst of an important task. they should track self-induced
interruptions, too, particularly those of the social media type. Smartphones are extremely
useful, but it’s also highly addictive and among the most insidious time-wasters known to
man. It may take a massive exercise in will power to shut the the door and turn off the mobile
to maximize the time. Instead of being “always on,” they can plan a break in the day to catch
up on email, make phone calls, talk with staff, etc.

6. Delegate more often

If a leader has hired talented, dedicated employees, one of the most impactful
management tools available in the workplace is the power to delegate. Running a successful
small business depends on the owner’s ability to think about what lies ahead and not get stuck
down in day-to-day operations. They can look for opportunities to pass responsibility for
specific tasks to others in the team.

7. Track your time

Time tracking is an extremely effective tool to help anyone device exactly how much
time a single task takes them. With a simple timesheet tracker, one can quickly and easily
clock in and out of various tasks or projects througho ut the day.

8. Take time for yourself

This tip is often forgotten in the hustle and bustle of running a successful business. However,
taking care of oneself, that is getting plenty of sleep and exercise, is critical to maintaining
any upward growth trajectory. In fact, one Harvard study found that insomnia can cause the
average worker to lose up to 11.3 days of productivity each year, while another study found
that regular exercise helps improve concentration, sharpen memory, speed up the ability to
learn, and even lower stress levels. Leaders should make sure to find some time to spend on
the people and things one love outside the business firm is important for one’s mental health.