6 Time Management Tips For Young Entrepreneurs

(By Dan Adika)

“If things need to get done, you have to focus on them. Don’t let any distractions keep you from accomplishing everything you set out to do. Make a “do not disturb” sign and hang it on your door when it’s crunch time. You can do the same for your team. They need to focus just as much as you do. Be sure that everyone is staying on task and on point.“

You’ve heard that time is money, but it becomes that much more important when you’re a young entrepreneur. You don’t always have the resources to accomplish everything you want, so you need to learn how to get the most out of the small team that you have. Some of the best companies in the industry don’t have big teams—they have effective ones. These six tips will help keep you from getting bogged down from tackling too many tasks:

1. Have a list and follow it. One of the most important things about getting the most out of your time is knowing where you’re spending it. Create a to-do list and follow it as much as you possibly can. There will be some speed bumps down the road, but you can avoid a ton of headaches if you just sit down and plan a little bit. Have goals for the day, month and year. Create plans for your team as well. That way, they know what’s expected of them and won’t have to rely on you to find out what to do next.

2. Think about what you want to do before you do it. Before you pick up the phone and make a call, think about what you want to accomplish. Remind yourself of what you need to get done so you don’t get sidetracked when you start talking. Remember that you’re trying to tackle a lot of things throughout your day, and having to contact someone again might be very troublesome and time-consuming. Tell your team that you expect the same attitude from them as well.

3. Focus. Sometimes, we just get too distracted throughout the day. If things need to get done, you have to focus on them. Don’t let any distractions keep you from accomplishing everything you set out to do. Make a “do not disturb” sign and hang it on your door when it’s crunch time. You can do the same for your team. They need to focus just as much as you do. Be sure that everyone is staying on task and on point.

4. Find a system that works for you. Everyone works in a certain way. You need to find the system that works well for you. Don’t try different systems because you hear good things about them; you’ll only end up confusing yourself and your team. Find the system that works for what you need and stick to it. There’s no point trying to learn each and every system if you already have one in place that works fine.

5. Delegate your workload. It would be nice if you could do everything yourself, but that’s not being realistic or productive. Delegate your work to your team so that everyone has something to do. Your results will be better because things aren’t rushed, and you’ll be able to relax a little. You might even discover some hidden talent within your team.

6. Use technology to your advantage. Technology was designed to help everyone, including entrepreneurs. Don’t forget that you can set events on your phone or create a system that helps with customer issues. Use online guidance systems to help reduce the number of customer service calls, allowing your team be more productive. Technology can work with  you. You’ll be able to get more done with the limited resources that you have.

Source – Openforum

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