Effective time management is one of the most important skills to learn in business. Time is the one thing that none of us can get back – waste it and you could see a negative impact on everything, from future results through to your own wellbeing. No matter what your business or the goals that you’re pursuing, if you can learn to manage your time better then you’ll find new ways to add value and achieve growth.
Don’t take on more than you can do – or than you need to do
If your task list is so long that even a superhuman couldn’t get through it in the time you have available then the first step may be to reevaluate what’s on there. You don’t need to say yes to everything and you don’t have to do every single task yourself. If you can see the value of saying no to what doesn’t really need to be yours to do then you will find that you instantly have more time in which to manage the tasks where you can really add value.
Learn the value of effective delegation
An inability to delegate can stunt business growth like nothing else and will make it impossible to get through your daily task lists. Delegation is essential – micromanaging will keep your business small. If you struggle to trust your employees to do as good a job at something as you know you would then it might be time to invest in more training for them. If you’ve never learned the art of delegation then now is the ideal time to do so. Employees who are given more responsibility often thrive and you’ll also find it easier to manage the time that you have.
Make a plan for each day
What needs to be achieved today and how are you going to achieve it? Planning is incredibly useful, especially if you often find yourself at the end of a day wondering where those eight hours went. Make a list of everything that needs to happen today and then prioritise your tasks so that the most urgent get done first. Create a rough plan in terms of when you’re going to tackle each of the tasks on the list – rough because you may need to be flexible. What’s important is not necessarily that you stick rigidly to the plan but that you’re visualising what the day will look like in advance so that you’re prepared for it.
Make all your tasks manageable
Even the most committed of us sometimes shies away from big or complex tasks, which means they often get left until the last minute or simply not done at all. Breaking the large tasks down into smaller and more manageable sizes will ensure that you get through everything.
Put aside the perfectionism
Nobody is perfect. And while it’s great to try to get the best from yourself and your team every day, you also need to leave some room for human error. This may even be where the most growth and development comes from.
There are many different aspects to time management, from the approach that you take to the attitude that you have. Mastering it will help you to take your business to the next level.
For more business tips and advice, get in touch with Brain Doubleday today.
