Juggling Time Having difficulty balancing work and play? Make the most of each day with these time-management techniques.
By Barry Farber
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Do you ever feel like your life is a balancing act of makingcalls, writing letters, dealing with the daily headaches of thebusiness world-and then making time for your friends and family?Welcome to the real world.
Even the best business people often need help handling the"so much to do, so little time" dilemma. So here are afew time-management hints to help you get the most out of yourdays:
Plan tomorrow today. Atthe end of each workday, take a blank sheet of paper and write downeverything you must accomplish tomorrow in the order the tasksshould be done. The next day, you won't have to decide what todo first, and crossing off the things you accomplish will give yougreat satisfaction. Don't let the simplicity of a to-do listfool you; it's one of the best time-management tools everinvented.
Prioritize your tasks.All your activities can be broken down into three categories. Thefirst, the "A" list, represents prospecting for newbusiness. These tasks include making cold calls and networking, andshould be done between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., the prime selling hours.Next is the "B" list-growing and expanding currentbusiness. It includes activities that build on existingrelationships and generate more business from current clients.These duties (also best done during prime business hours) includemaking follow-up calls, obtaining referrals and maintainingcustomer contacts. Lastly, there's the "C" list,nonselling activities that include writing reports, proposals,follow-up letters and thank-you notes. They can be completedoutside the prime selling hours, whether that means going to workearly, staying late or bringing work home. The key to juggling timeefficiently is to study and prepare in the evening so you can dothe legwork during the day.
Don't waste traveltime. One of the most valuable time-management tools isthe tape recorder. When I'm driving, I speak into my recorder,dictating notes and reminders of things I have to do. Another greattool is the cell phone, which I use when I get a ride to mydestination. In a one-hour commute, I can make between 15 and 30calls, so I don't lose business or momentum. Airplanes are alsogreat opportunities. Bring paper or a laptop and write letters, jotdown ideas or set goals. It's also a good opportunity to catchup on reading.
Get started immediately.Don Fink is a time-management master. He took second place (in theworld) in the Over-40 Ironman competition in 1998, a feat heaccomplished while he was a managing director at Citibank. Hisfavorite tip involves eliminating procrastination. "My peoplehad to make cold calls every day, but they'd find reasons notto make them," Fink says. "People listen to the news ontheir way to work; by the time they get there, they're sodepressed they need to spend time chatting with colleagues just toget going. That time is wasted. But I found a successful way tobeat that.
"I asked them to spend 20 minutes on the ride to worklistening to motivational tapes, and then make 10 cold calls whenthey walked in the door," Fink says. "Each morningthey'd [arrive] energized and ready to work. Twenty minutes ofmotivation in the morning made the entire day moreproductive."
Take breaks during theday. Time-management techniques aren't going to giveyou effective solutions if you don't have the energy to give100 percent. Take a power nap during the day if you can. Go to apark or play with your children for an hour if you feeloverwhelmed. Take the time to clear your mind and refocus on yourgoals. The ideas that wouldn't come to you in the office mightpour out once you're in a new environment.
Time management is the ability to balance your activities sothat your life is not all work and no play. Leave time in your lifeto do the things necessary to keep your business growing, butdon't neglect the things you need to do to keep yourselfgrowing.
