Congratulations, this weekend you get an additional 24 hours thanks to the Leap Year! 🎉
Admittedly, few people will notice February 29 but it’s your opportunity to think about, well time. How are you spending your time? Are you losing time on a particular project or spending too much time on certain social media apps? How can you be more efficient?
Here are a few tips to help you manage your time:
Run a time audit—Over a period of 24-48 hours (or a full week) make one list of all the tasks you intend to do, and then at the end of every day make another list of the tasks accomplished. You could also note how long each task took. Then compare the two lists. This aim of a time audit is to see where you’re losing time and make changes. You can also use it to re-evaluate how long you think it’ll take you to complete a project/tasks so it doesn't feel like you're constantly running out of time.
Make a plan—At the start of every day decide which tasks you want to get done. Use good old fashioned pen and paper or make a note on your phone (use Reminders/Notes app). Wherever your plan is make sure you can see it or refer to it to keep yourself on track. Managing a big team? Try an app like Trello, Asana, or Homebase.
Say no—Turning down an opportunity has to be one of the hardest things for a business owner to do. You could ask your client how urgent the job/project is or simply let them know you don’t have the bandwidth. Leave the door open and perhaps even refer them to another business— your client will appreciate the fact you're trying to help and that business could return the favor someday!
Breathe—When it seems like your day is spiraling out of your control take a step back and breathe. Get a glass of water or step outside. When you’re ready, just start with the most important task at hand. If you can’t get to something today (breathe again!) — you can reshuffle it to tomorrow. Need a hand? Delegate tasks to a member of your team or consider getting some outside help.
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Over to you! What are some timesaving tips that help you get through your to do list?
