Five Tips For Time Management and Staying Focused

Distractions are a slippery slope and before you know it, hours or precious minutes have slipped by. Stay away from websites unless you have set aside time for browsing or while enjoying free time.

To help you stay focused, we've put together a list of five tips for your own personal time management. Tips that can be used in your private life as well as your professional one.

Be Determined

Time management is like a diet, only a tad less painful. It can be just as beneficial and you will see the results sooner as you prepare yourself to be more determined. Along with staying focused, you have to be resolute to stick with your plan. There are exceptions to most every rule of course, and no one wants to stick to a plan that is not working, but being determined to stay on the path you have set will be a valuable asset.

Learn To Delegate

If you are running or managing a small business, there are a variety of things that can leach into your time. Micromanaging is a quick way to burn out, so find ways to delegate things. Perhaps it is trusting the postal service to take care of shipping, or setting up auto-withdrawal for your monthly expenses, you need to be able to stay on track and save time. Trust when there is the opportunity to do so.

Embrace Technology

Use email, Skype or phone calls instead of meetings. Sometimes meetings can just turn into meet and greets or friends catching up. You count in gas, lunch, and the time preparing, and meetings can pull valuable resources away from areas that need them. Meetings are necessary at times, so when planning an itinerary or schedule, make sure that 12:30 meeting with Betty Boop at the Bread Bakery is absolutely needed. Skype, instant messenger, and email are all valuable tools and sometimes can help you accomplish what you are looking to do in a much shorter period. This is very important when it comes to sales people as well.

Prepare in advance of meetings

If you know your work environment and are prepared, you will not need an hour-long presentation. Many times companies that cater to small businesses depend on the fact that small business owners are very busy and not as knowledgeable as they should be. If you are prepared with what you want and need, you can serve yourself better and save a great deal of time.

Do What You Need To Do

Procrastination may seem like a minor thing for people that have the skill and funds to start a small business in the first place, but it can get in everyone's way. Knowing when to put something off and prioritizing is very important. When you are planning, put the things that need to be done at the top of the list and let those items command your attention. Sometimes things need to be put off because you do not have the time or assets to put towards them as well.

With these tips, you should be able to prepare and utilize your time better. Remember to prioritize, delegate when you can, stay focused and determined, and take advantage of the time you have.