As an entrepreneur all tasks you accomplish can be classified into three categories: planning, doing, and relating (having conversations with customers, business partners, etc.). While completing any of these three categories you may be frequently interrupted or think you should be working on another task. While you cannot eliminate interruptions, you should be able to control how much time you spend on them and how much time you spend on what you are doing right now. This calls for good time management. Try to practice the following methods to finally achieve total control of your own time:
Record all the time you spend on planning, doing and relating for one week. At the end of this week you will be able to tell how much time you spent in each category. You should also be able to tell how happy you are with what you have achieved. Highlight the most productive blocks during this week as well as the ones you consider wasted time. You should be able to see a pattern; for example your productive hours during the day. For the next week you should try to move types of tasks around during the day and keep records of your success. Maybe you are better at planning after lunch or you rather 'do' before lunch. This method can also help to find your personal ideal task duration for each type of task. You may be able to stay longer focused planning versus relating or vice versa.
Don't jump into action in the morning. Take the time to spend about half an hour each day planning the day ahead. Also allocate times slots as buffers and to deal with urgent new items. By blindly checking off items we usually work ourselves into a dead end and possibly leave important items behind.
Clearly define your best outcome before you start relating with others. For example before you call a client make sure you have a specific outcome in mind. If he had a question make sure he is satisfied with your answer. Sometimes we like to jump into calls especially with individuals we enjoy talking to without a clearly defined goal. That often leads to pleasant but unproductive conversations. Make sure your goal was met before you end the call. Nothing is more frustrating than realizing not everything was covered and another conversation is needed.
In situations that require your absolute focus like when a deadline is quickly approaching then make sure you cannot be interrupted by anything. Close the email application, turn off all phones, shut the office door and hang up 'Do Not Disturb' note.
It is almost against nature not to respond to incoming information in form of emails, phone calls, text messages and more, but very often these don't entail any useful information and will only deter you from your course. Hence it is quite useful to learn ignoring all these inputs. Catch up during your next break.
There are always tasks in each category - planning, doing, or relating that have more effect than others. If you don't like to have a full schedule in which tasks are assigned a time, allocate at least these priority tasks to certain time slots and try to estimate the time they may take rather conservatively so you are sure to complete them.
Get a feeling of how long typical tasks take to be more accurate when you plan your day. Always leave room for unexpected events and be reasonable for what you think can be accomplished. If you have many recurring tasks or tasks that you approach with a certain strategy write step by step protocols with if this then that explanations. You can then use these protocols to have others take over these tasks.
Try to find a good balance between work and your other activities. It is certainly no problem for example to cut down on sleep for a few days, but you have to expect that your productivity will suffer if you keep that up for too long. The result is that you may work even more with smaller success. Balance is the key and to find your personal rhythm.
Record all the time you spend on planning, doing and relating for one week. At the end of this week you will be able to tell how much time you spent in each category. You should also be able to tell how happy you are with what you have achieved. Highlight the most productive blocks during this week as well as the ones you consider wasted time. You should be able to see a pattern; for example your productive hours during the day. For the next week you should try to move types of tasks around during the day and keep records of your success. Maybe you are better at planning after lunch or you rather 'do' before lunch. This method can also help to find your personal ideal task duration for each type of task. You may be able to stay longer focused planning versus relating or vice versa.
Don't jump into action in the morning. Take the time to spend about half an hour each day planning the day ahead. Also allocate times slots as buffers and to deal with urgent new items. By blindly checking off items we usually work ourselves into a dead end and possibly leave important items behind.
Clearly define your best outcome before you start relating with others. For example before you call a client make sure you have a specific outcome in mind. If he had a question make sure he is satisfied with your answer. Sometimes we like to jump into calls especially with individuals we enjoy talking to without a clearly defined goal. That often leads to pleasant but unproductive conversations. Make sure your goal was met before you end the call. Nothing is more frustrating than realizing not everything was covered and another conversation is needed.
In situations that require your absolute focus like when a deadline is quickly approaching then make sure you cannot be interrupted by anything. Close the email application, turn off all phones, shut the office door and hang up 'Do Not Disturb' note.
It is almost against nature not to respond to incoming information in form of emails, phone calls, text messages and more, but very often these don't entail any useful information and will only deter you from your course. Hence it is quite useful to learn ignoring all these inputs. Catch up during your next break.
There are always tasks in each category - planning, doing, or relating that have more effect than others. If you don't like to have a full schedule in which tasks are assigned a time, allocate at least these priority tasks to certain time slots and try to estimate the time they may take rather conservatively so you are sure to complete them.
Get a feeling of how long typical tasks take to be more accurate when you plan your day. Always leave room for unexpected events and be reasonable for what you think can be accomplished. If you have many recurring tasks or tasks that you approach with a certain strategy write step by step protocols with if this then that explanations. You can then use these protocols to have others take over these tasks.
Try to find a good balance between work and your other activities. It is certainly no problem for example to cut down on sleep for a few days, but you have to expect that your productivity will suffer if you keep that up for too long. The result is that you may work even more with smaller success. Balance is the key and to find your personal rhythm.
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