Hello world! Firstly, I’d like to say thank you for the support and well wishes that you’ve shown me regarding my last blog post. If you haven’t read my last blog post click HERE to read and click HERE to see me share a special announcement about my cosmetics company and brand Skin Sezson. The outpour of support that I received was humbling and I am so grateful.
Since the announcement went live I’ve been on full steam ahead getting all the work done to successful launch my products for sale. Some of the work I’ve been doing behind the scenes include strategic planning for marketing, building the Skin Sezson website, taking product pics, writing up content about the brand, building social media strategies and so much more! To say there is a lot going on is an understatement. Also, please keep in mind I’m also still working my 9 – 5 job that I enjoy so much on top of volunteering, having a social life, and taking time out for myself. Life at the moment is a bit hectic and I couldn’t ask for anything more because it’s what I want.
Time management as a new and busy entrepreneur has been my saving grace. The only way that I’ve been able to stay on top of my deadlines while also maintaining my personal life is my making time for what is important. As a new business owner the importance of recognizing priorities will help to shape where and how you spend the most time during your day to ensure you have a productive day. I’m still in the process of figuring it all out but I thought it would be helpful to share some tips that I’ve learned so far.
Use an agenda with a calendar attached to plan. Plan out your day by the hour and also attach an activity to each planned hour. The importance of doing this allows for you to see how you use your time best. This also gives you a view into what you are doing. If you notice that there is a lot of “empty space” in your calendar that is unplanned while at the same time you recognize that your list of things to do remains long then it’s time for you to take a serious look at how you spend your time.
Identify your priorities; make a top 3 list. Recognize that not everything is important and not everything has to be done today. Personally I have a top 3 list of priorities that I must complete on my list everyday to stay on track with all of my responsibilities. Being a new and busy entrepreneur with a lot on the go it’s important that I realistically plan for what I can accomplish in order to be successful. Identifying more priorities than what I can handle in a day leaves me feeling overwhelmed, and defeated because I didn’t get everything I thought was important done.
Set up an environment for success. Personally, setting up an environment for success looks like having all of my materials in easy access so I don’t have to get up and search for things, it means having all of my devices charged and ready to go, it means having a clean, bright, and inviting room to work in to help stay focused at the task at hand. I find working in an environment that is not comfortable to getting work done creates distractions that reduces work productivity.
Focus on one activity at a time. Focusing on one activity at a time not only helps you to complete your tasks faster, but it also reduces confusion and the risk of any distractions. Work on and complete one task first before moving on to the next!
Be kind to yourself. You are only one person. As a small business owner at the moment I do a lot of things on my own as I do not have the financial resources to hire external help. There is a lot on my plate and it’s important for me (and you) to remember that we are doing the best we can and to take a moment to stop and congratulate ourself for how far we have come.
Let me know in the comment section below how do you manage your time?
