Time management is key to
running your home based business, as there often
does not seem to be enough hours in the day to
do all the things you want to do. However, if
you focus your energy and know how to
prioritize, you will find that your business
will run more smoothly, and you will get more
done in less time.
Don’t be fooled by all of
the people who tell you it is so simple to
develop time management skills. If you haven’t
developed them by now, the process will take
time and energy, especially if you have a lot of
priorities coming at you all the time. However,
those priorities are the first place to start
for better time management. Make a list of all
the things that need to be done. Then rank them
in order of importance. If you have a program
like Outlook or Entourage, this process can all
be done on the computer, though a piece of paper
works just as well.
It may seem that everything
you have listed is important, and it probably
is, but learn to identify what is more
important. Ask yourself what would happen if
you did not get to the task right away. If
there is little consequence, then it should not
be toward the top of your list. Time management
always begins with prioritizing tasks. It keeps
you much more focused on what needs to be done
versus what you want to do.
The next task in time
management is that you need to learn to allocate
time to your tasks properly. Even for those who
have effective time management skills, this can
be a difficult thing to do. Estimate the amount
of time you think it will take to do each task,
then add 40 percent to that amount of time.
Most people grossly underestimate the time it
takes to do things, so if you add in that amount
of time, you will save yourself a lot of grief
later.
Also, make sure you
schedule your tasks during your peak times. In
time management, you want to do things at times
of day that you are at your best. For example,
if you are at your peak in the afternoon, then
you should focus on work during that time,
because you will be able to focus better and get
more done. This strategic time management will
make you much more efficient.
Finally, while you are
developing your time management skills, you may
want to minimize your need to multi-task. Focus
on one thing at time. Don’t worry, though,
since you allocated time to each task, you won’t
miss anything. You will find that being able to
give a task your full attention will make you
much more efficient.
Developing your time
management skills takes effort at first, but
practice will eventually make it second nature.
Break the cycle of allowing yourself to be
distracted or working at your least efficient
times of day, and you will find that time
management will make your business run better
and more efficiently, making you a happier home
based business owner.
Copyright © Charles Fuchs is an established Six
Figure Income earner and one of the top online marketer's. He specializes in
showing people the Best Home
Based Business and the
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