Do you constantly feel like you don't have enough time in the day? Do you feel like you're always playing catch-up? You’re not alone, champ. Influencers, like any entrepreneur, have to learn how to manage time effectively in order to stay productive and achieve their goals.
Lucky for you, many successful entrepreneurs have gone before you and left nuggets of gold on all things time management. Everyone has the same 24 hours to work with; how you use them is what counts.
In this post, we'll share some tips for mastering time management. So read on and get ready to take charge of your schedule!
1. Prioritize your tasks
As a content creator, you have approximately a million things to get done at any given time on any given day. Sadly, this likely won't go away. You will always have an absurd amount of tasks on your plate.
Instead of getting overwhelmed, pay extra attention. Over time, you will notice that some tasks don't need immediate attention. With this knowledge, be proactive!
Create a "master task list" with everything you need to complete. From there, prioritize everything from highest urgency to lowest urgency. Work your way through the list in order of urgency.
When you know what needs to be accomplished immediately instead of half-assing everything at once, you will be free to focus on each task as it comes.
So look at that list of a million things and rank them!
2. Create your ideal schedule For an entrepreneur, there's no such thing as a "normal" day. You may have your day derailed on any given day by a random but urgent change of events. With that being said, we still encourage you to lay out your ideal schedule. We say “ideal” because, obviously, you will have to be flexible if/when things come up.
A popular and effective scheduling method is the time-block method. All you have to do is think about your day in little "time blocks" and delegate each task on your urgent to-do list to one of these blocks.
For example, say you know you have to answer emails every morning, but you often find yourself getting distracted with updating your Instagram page at the same time. Set your first-time block for thirty minutes. In those thirty minutes, commit to only answering emails and hold yourself to it.
No distractions, no TikTok breaks, just stone-cold focus. Get the task done. Only when the task is done or your time block is up can you move on to the next task.
Time blocks help you give your undivided attention to each task, saving you time in the long run.
3. Set boundaries
It's important to set boundaries between work and personal time. It's way too easy to take a personal call while you’re in the middle of content batching. Or on the flip side, if you're out to dinner with a friend and receive an important email from your dream brand, it can be tempting to answer it right away. We sincerely urge you not to unless absolutely necessary.
Mentally, you will be sharper, more focused, and happier if you set boundaries between work and life. When working, try to avoid distractions and stay focused on the task at hand. Once you've clocked out for the day, resist the urge to check your email or do anything business related.
If you have difficulty clocking out, put your family time, alone time, and social time on your calendar (time blocks, baybee!). Know that your time away from work is just as important as work itself.
Too many entrepreneurs let work and life merge into a mucky mess. Don't be like them; set boundaries.
4. Take breaks
Working non-stop is not sustainable in the long run. You will burn out quickly if you don't take breaks to relax and rejuvenate.
Now, you might not be able to go away for a month on your dream vacation to Bora-Bora (YET!), but you surely can give yourself 30-60 minutes a day to do some nonwork-related activity you actually enjoy.
Consider taking a walk with a friend, doing yoga, or learning to paint. Cuddle your dog, take a nap, sing in the shower. Literally, anything enjoyable that will take your mind off of the entrepreneurial empire you are working so hard to build.
A caveat... we challenge influencers to make their break time unrelated to social media. As content creators, viewing anything and everything as future content is far too easy. A “mindless” scroll can quickly become planning for your next content batch session, meaning you are no longer relaxing. We know you have to have a future vision, but try and give yourself a chance daily to just live in the present moment!
Oh, and by all means, if you can take a vacation to some widely exotic beach..do it! And send us pics, please.
Conclusion Managing your time as an entrepreneur can be challenging, but it's essential for success. We love these five tips shared today and know they will help you to use your time in the most effective way possible.
As with everything, time management is a learning curve, so be patient with yourself. Next thing you know, you will be one of those time management gurus we all look up to.
We hope you enjoyed today's post! What strategies do you use to make the most of your time?
