Life for a business owner is hectic. You’ve only got 24 hours, yet you’ve got a thousand and one things to do. This is especially true if you are a small business owner who has to do most of the work yourself. Compound the problem if you are working from home with all the distractions it entails.
The U.S. Small Business Administration offers a number of tips how small business owners can manage time efficiently:
- Define the major elements of your workload
- Develop a general work schedule, which should include time for yourself as well as business maintenance
- Prioritize them by identifying critical deadlines, routine maintenance items, and fun/relaxation time.
- Look at all your options for achieving them
- Contract out tasks you do not have expertise to complete
- Start with the most worrisome task as it reduces your anxiety level for the next tasks
- Complete deadline work early to reduce stress and lighten your work schedule
- Know your capacity for stress
- Stay organized: clean up your desk and make reminder lists of tasks for the next day
- Use downtime to review your schedule and reevaluate your priorities
- Get physical (e.g. play with your children, do yardwork, exercise) as they can serve as therapeutic breaks during times of stress
- Build flexibility in your schedule
Check out Time Management section for more tips on managing your time
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