5 Time Management Tools You Can Use Right Now

If you run a small business or work for yourself, you know how hard it can be to get things done. When the buck stops with you, trying to manage it all can be overwhelming. One of the biggest time management mistakes you can make in your business – or in your life – is to let time wasters creep in and eat up your time. If you find yourself wondering why you’re not accomplishing more, here are some time management tools you can use right away to get things done:

1. Pinpoint goals and priorities: No time management tools will work unless you first have a crystal clear idea of the things you’re trying to achieve, in order of importance. Trying to manage time without first understanding your goals and priorities is kind of like getting into a car without having a destination. To get things done, you must know where you’re going and how important it is to get there.

2. Identify and list common time wasters and interruptions. Effective time management tools also include understanding what you don’t want to do, the things that waste your time and keep you from accomplishing what’s most important. Make a list of common distractions, note how you’re wasting time, then constantly remind yourself not to do it by posting a list in prominent spot.

3. Set clear boundaries for yourself and your co-workers, clients and employees. No list of time management tools would be complete without referencing boundaries. Establish boundaries around the internal and external distractions and behaviors that most often result in wasting time. Once you determine what you don’t want to be doing, let others know precisely what these boundaries are and enlist their help in keeping them.

4. Create a schedule and learn to stick to it. One of the most common, useful and often overlooked time management tools is your calendar. A calendar can help you structure your day, and understand what you want to accomplish during it. Noting daily goals in your calendar can work wonders, so keep yourself on track by referring to it religiously.

5. Commit to focused work periods. The last of today’s time management tools is one of the most useful. Most of us are so busy doing “stuff” for and with others, going from one thing to the next, and operating from the seat of our pants; that we don’t overlook important tasks that must be accomplished. Whether you’re trying to find time to finish a client’s project or work on marketing or strategic planning, making appointments with yourself to get specific things done is a crucial part of any time management strategy.

To learn more about using your time most effectively, read about my Small Business Productivity Program.