Oh the hottest buzz word, time management. This is a topic that is endlessly covered by so many to help entrepreneurs work smarter not harder, right? It’s true. Time management and boundaries are so important, but let’s be real, we all still struggle with this from time to time.
Lack of time management and boundaries doesn’t necessarily mean you lack discipline and focus. There could be a few reasons why your time management and boundary setting sucks. A lot of it I believe starts with your mindset (make sure you catch up on my blog post on mindset from a couple weeks ago here). If you are stressed or overwhelmed and taking too much on, you could also truly not have the time.
I am a people pleaser, so naturally, time management and boundaries has been HARD for me because I prioritize everyone else’s wants and needs over my own. It’s been something I’ve had to work hard at, to make sure I am respecting myself and my business. There are still moments when I struggle, but there are certain things that help me to refocus and get back on track.
Here are 5 simple steps to help you accomplish MORE and live freely in your life.
1. Analyze all of your commitments
Sometimes we take on too much. I am SO guilty of this. So before I give any guidance on what things you can do to manage your time better, I believe it truly starts with analyzing WHAT is actually taking up all of your time. Trying to do it all simply isn’t possible, so of course you may feel overwhelmed and can’t get it all done.
What are your priorities right now? Is it your new baby and family right now, or maybe you’re in a huge biz growth stage, or maybe it’s both or something else entirely. But I’ve found that when you try to focus your attention on EVERYTHING, nothing really thrives. You have to pick one or two things and do those WELL/go all in.
So maybe right now that means cutting out one or two networking groups you’re a part of, not taking on the “room mom”, not volunteering to host the next girls get together, prioritizing your business offerings, or simply saying no to some things in general.
Another thing to consider is your expectations. Are you setting your own expectations too high in this stage of life you’re in? Maybe you’re used to working 30-40 hours a week, but right now you really can only commit to 20-25. How many hours a day do you have to work and for how many days/week? Get realistic with yourself and what you have available from a time and ENERGY standpoint. Then write it down.
2. Track your time
So now that you’ve picked your two main commitments/focuses, write down all the things that support them and then I want you to TRACK how much time it takes to do all of those things and/or write down your time commitment.
For example, all of my clients are on a retainer for a certain number of hours each month, so I add up all of that time and subtract it from the hours a month I want to work on my business. That gives me a better idea of if/when I can add another client to my workload. Then, to take that a step further, I track all of my time spent on each client’s activities. This way I can see how long it takes me to do something and determine if there is a faster, or better way to do something. This, in return, helps not only me to better manage me time, but my clients too so that they get the most out of my time that they’re paying for.
If you find that a task is taking up more time than you’d like in your week, consider outsourcing it to someone else, setting up an automatic workflow so you’re not recreating the wheel, or maybe finding another solution.
3. Time block
Actually schedule everything out in your calendar - I use Apple calendar because it syncs nicely to all my tech devices and alerts me for everything. But whether you write things down or do it virtually, use your calendar and schedule out all of the things you need to do. I.e. When you’re going to write your content, your calls, client work time, personal time/workouts/mindset work, etc. This will help you to stay focused and stay on track. It doesn’t mean that you can’t move things around if needed, but it will help you stay organized and give you a rough framework to actually give yourself more freedom if you stick to your schedule.
4. Decide what you’re available for
Set boundaries when it comes to protecting your time and energy. What are your working hours? Set those and then communicate them with your clients. That way if they contact you outside of work hours you are not obligated to answer and you don’t feel like you’re doing yourself or your clients a disservice.
Some other questions to ask yourself are: How do you expect people to treat you? Are you okay with last minute projects and emergencies? Are you willing to work late some nights if needed to give yourself more time to have some fun the next day? Will you work weekends? What kind of attitude and energy will you let into your conversations and space?
Really work hard on setting not just time boundaries, but emotional boundaries too. Those are equally as important as they will spill over into not only your own work, but your relationships and personal time too.
5. Stick to the boundaries you set
Once you set these boundaries, stick to them. You have to have the sel-frespect to do that. That’s where all of this circles back to the mindset work. In order for you to actually DO any of these things, you have to value yourself and your business enough to stick to them. If you’re struggling with sticking to your boundaries and schedules, ask yourself why you’re not prioritizing yourself or your business? What needs to change for you to do that? Dive into more mindset work to build your confidence and learn to respect and love yourself more. Because at the end of the day, all of these things - whether you do them or you don’t just come back to hurt or help YOU, no one else.
Do you struggle with time management and setting boundaries? What seems to be the hardest part to stick to?
Katelyn Hamilton is an Online Business Manager and Get Your Sh!t Together Strategist. She helps busy entrepreneurs organize, strategize and prioritize their business to go from overwhelmed to out-in-front.
After spending 6 years in the corporate world working with multimillion dollar companies, top-rated chefs and celebrities, she launched her own business to find more flexibility and freedom. She matched her corporate salary in just one year of starting her business.
Katelyn is also a soon-to-be wife, stepmom, dog mama of two furry friends, fitness lover, sports fanatic (Go Dawgs) and dreams of living at the beach.
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