Whether you’re a first-time entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, chances are time management is a recurring struggle.

With an ever-expanding to-do list, it can feel impossible to focus on one aspect of your business for long. And if you work from home, you’re well aware of the endless distractions waiting there. Effective time management will not only help you feel more in control of competing deadlines, it can also greatly reduce stress! Here are some quick tips to help you stay focused;
1. Use an online calendar like Outlook or Google Calendar. Schedule everything. It works.
2. Categorize your work into blocks of activity like administration, bookkeeping, research & development, marketing, and professional development. Divide each day into 2-3 hour time slots, then schedule in your activity blocks.  Make sure you schedule in each activity at least once a week, and include some empty time slots throughout the week for putting out any fires that may arise. 
3. Don’t overschedule – only schedule a maximum of four time slots per day.
4. Once you have your business basics covered, schedule in your exercise, breaks, and meals. Taking care of your basic needs keeps your motivation and morale high.
5. Rather than feeding your to-do list, input your tasks directly into your calendar. This way, you’ve already allocated a specific 2-3 hour block of time to doing it—isn’t that a relief?
6. Make a visual representation (ex. calendar or Kanban chart) of your project. Starting with your due date, work backwards to target all the necessary steps and completion dates along the way so you can stay on track. Keep it on your wall for reference.
7. Turn off email notifications while completing other tasks to reduce distractions. Instead, schedule your email management into specific time slots throughout your day.
8. Use an app to disable your personal social media during working hours.
9. Use an app like Later to preschedule your social media posts and avoid scrambling for content every time you need to post. Put aside time on a regular basis to curate and organize your content.
10. Lastly, learn to prioritize. Say no to tasks that don’t really need your attention, and try to delegate some tasks to others. If you can, hire an assistant to take on routine, time-consuming tasks that may prevent you from focusing on more important aspects of your business.

A YES Business Coach can help you manage your time as an entrepreneur more wisely – visit yesmontreal.ca or call 514-878-9788 for more information.