8 Tips to Help You Manage a Busy Schedule In a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment, it's easy to get overwhelmed and bogged down by your to-do list. However, with a little organization and some effective time management techniques, you can learn to manage a busy schedule and keep on top of your workload.
By Murali Nethi Edited by Micah Zimmerman
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One of the main benefits of being your own boss is the ability to set your own schedule and make your own decisions about when, where and how you work. But the hard truth about being an entrepreneur is that it can also be incredibly time-consuming and downright overwhelming — you've got meetings with partners, employees, and customers to schedule, calls with clients to make, new products to test out, new hires to make and much more on top of all the other tasks you need to take care of to keep your business running smoothly. That's why you should follow these tips for managing your schedule as an entrepreneur to keep yourself organized and your work on track, no matter what kind of crazy deadlines you have looming in the future.
1) Set deadlines
Deadlines are the best way to keep track of time and stay on task. Set deadlines for yourself and with your team members so that everyone knows what needs to be done and when it should be completed by. This also helps motivate you, as you will start seeing results faster if you know when they will happen.
2) Stop using apps
Apps can be helpful, but often they create more work for us. For example, I use Gmail to organize my tasks and reminders for the day. However, if I do not immediately follow up on the notification, I easily get lost in other distractions and forget about it altogether. Try removing all of your apps from your phone or turning off notifications from them so that you are not getting pulled away from what you are working on.
3) Don't work in your inbox
I don't know about you, but I spend a lot of time in my email inbox. What starts as an innocent 5-minute check turns into hours of scrolling through messages. To combat this, I've created folders in my inbox for things like "Needs Action Now" and "To Read Later." This way, I can quickly identify which emails need my attention and spend less time on the ones that don't.
4) Delegate tasks
It's important to make time for family, friends and self-care, but juggling multiple jobs can also be challenging. To help manage your schedule effectively, try delegating some of your tasks. For instance, if you have someone in charge of your social media channels like Facebook or Twitter, you'll have more time to focus on other business areas that need attention.
5) Get rid of clutter
It can be hard to keep up with all the stuff we accumulate in our lives. Sure, it's nice having a lot of stuff around that we love, but at some point, it just starts to take over. And before you know it, your home is more like an office. Clutter has been found to contribute to stress and anxiety levels, even if you're not too bothered by what's crammed into your living space.
Related: 10 Ways to Remove Your Digital Clutter
6) Maintain health and fitness habits
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the key to success in any endeavor. This is particularly true for entrepreneurs, who often work long hours and may neglect their own needs in favor of their business.
Find time to take care of yourself: Successful entrepreneurs know it's necessary to take care of themselves and others. Plan time into your schedule each day to make time for exercise, meditation, or prayer. When you take care of yourself, you're better able to take care of others!
Related: 5 Ways to Add Self-Care Into Your Busy Schedule
7) Set your priorities and stick to them
The key to balancing your schedule is prioritizing. If you have a lot on your plate, don't try and do it all. Prioritize your tasks, set deadlines for yourself, and then stick with them. Don't let anything slip through the cracks, as they can all add up to create more work in the long run. The best way to manage your busy schedule as an entrepreneur is by using the Hana Retail POS system. It will help you manage your inventory and customer relationships while seamlessly integrating with other systems like social media, CRM, and ERP.
8) Follow your natural rhythm
You'll want to ensure you're following your natural rhythm to keep up your energy and stay productive throughout the day. In general, people have an early bird or night owl tendency. If you're an early bird, it's best to start your day with a big task or two, then take periodic breaks throughout the morning for food or exercise. If you're a night owl, try starting your morning with some light tasks before taking on more difficult ones later in the afternoon.
