You’ve probably experienced that “there aren’t enough hours in the day” feeling. Running a business and balancing family life isn’t easy and when deadlines are looming and you’re trying to meet everyone’s needs, it can feel downright impossible. Your busy life might not calm down anytime soon, but there are some time management tips that can make it a little easier to get everything done without getting overwhelmed.

Prepare Your Game Plan

You can’t stay on top of your game if you don’t have a plan. Every day you should create a list of goals and a plan to accomplish them. This goes beyond your basic to-do list. To be truly effective you need to know not only what you’re trying to accomplish, but when you’ll do it. Creating an hour-by-hour plan for the day maximizes your productivity and makes sure nothing falls through the cracks.

• Schedule blocks of time for each task you need to complete during your workday.
• Prioritize tasks so that the most urgent ones get done even if your planned schedule gets disrupted.

Break It Down

Big projects can be completely overwhelming. You might find yourself wasting time on smaller, unimportant tasks to avoid the big ones that are stressing you out. This is one scenario when you’re better off not looking at the big picture! Break that huge project down into a series of smaller, more manageable tasks. As you complete each one, you’re one step closer to meeting that deadline.

• Create a timeline for each step – decide when you’ll work on it and when it will be completed.
• Set realistic goals for each day to ensure you’ll meet your deadlines.

Audit Your Time Usage

Are you really making the best use of your time? Take a few days to track your activity. Pay special attention to things that steal too much of your productive time. Working from a home office is incredibly convenient, but it’s easy to get distracted. Cutting down on distractions helps you use your working time more effectively.

• Schedule times to check email and manage your social media – Having a set amount of time for these tasks keeps you from falling down a social media rabbit hole.
• Turn off the TV – even if it’s just background noise, it can be very distracting. Try instrumental music if silence isn’t your thing.
• Don’t let household chores interrupt your workday. Complete them before you step into your office or save them until after your working hours are done.

Give Yourself a Break

You want to make the most of your workday, but you still need to take care of your mental and physical health. Add some downtime to your daily schedule. Give yourself 10 minutes here and there to take a breather or scroll social media. Block out time for a short walk around the block after lunch. Allowing yourself time to rest and re-set can actually make you more productive!

• Schedule more breaks on extra-stressful days. It may seem counterintuitive but giving yourself more time to breath and relax prevents you from getting overwhelmed and keeps you working efficiently.

Know When to Let Go

Do you dread writing your weekly blog? Get a copywriter! If the idea of updating your website sends you into a panic, it’s time to hand it off to a web designer. Don’t waste your valuable time on tasks that can be delegated. You can build a team that covers the day-to-day of your business so you can devote your time to building your company’s future.

• Stop dreading tasks and start delegating them.
• If there’s an area of your business that’s not your strong suit, add an expert in that field to your team.

Sometimes you need more than just time management tips. When you’ve got more on your plate than you can handle, book a call with SophieZo. We’ve got all the support your online business needs.