7 Effective Time Management Tips for Busy Entrepreneurs

How do you approach time management?

Effective time management is something we all need to pay attention to if we want to balance multiple tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities alongside actually having a life!

To me, time management doesn't mean micro managing everything you do, but an approach to how you plan, prepare, prioritise and approach your work each day.

I'm sharing some time management tips to help you feel more calm and in control of your daily productivity, while also being able to maintain a healthy work-life balance, where you get to take care of yourself, and do things that aren't just work related.

I totally get the struggle… especially in those early few years when there are so many things that need your attention, or being able to bring to life all of those ideas that you have.

*Affiliate Disclosure: Some links in this post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something via the link, I may receive a small commission. This doesn't affect the price you pay.

If you have any questions, reach out for a chat [email protected] or check out my other blogs

Time Management Tips.

Let's jump into the 7 time management tips below! Don't forget to reach out if you're looking for additional support!

1. Plan and Prioritise.

As busy entrepreneurs / online service providers, your to-do lists can seem never-ending. When you're feeling overwhelmed by alllll the things – it may mean you end up getting very little done. Hours or days are lost due to not having a clear strategy or effective plans in place.

When you're an introvert, or you manage low energy, it's even more important to put things in place that will help you to stay focused without draining all of your energy within the very first hour!

If you go into the day unsure of what you're doing it'll probably just lead to wasted time, a growing frustration and feeling fatigued.

Think about the times you've sat down to work, without working out what needed your attention, or you were unsure what's already been finished.

I've done it hundreds of times before, and it mainly resulted in me finally getting organised by around 11am – which by then, the brainpower I'd used to get that far, had rapidly ran out!

Planning Myth Busting

If the word/ term planning makes you quiver with dread – please hear me out…

You absolutely do not need to have a super-strict, rigid schedule or an inflexible plan. But, having a plan will take away a lot of the guesswork, making it much easier to stay focused and on track.

Having a clear plan will also mean that you'll already know what needs to get done. Through planning you can begin by breaking bigger goals into smaller tasks. This instantly removes overwhelm and provides you with a clear step-by-step process. I promise you – this will save you an enormous amount of time and energy.

Daily Approach

Prioritise what your daily tasks by identifying the most important ones and tackling them first. Especially those tasks that you try to ignore or save until the end… If you choose to prioritise the tasks that will make the biggest difference to your progress, you will work more efficiently.

Some suggest that you tackle the smaller tasks first to get yourself warmed up. While this can be a useful hack, when you are energy sensitive, these smaller tasks may then be all you do in the day.

I have most of my energy between 5am – 12pm. If I spend the first 2 hours of the day on smaller tasks like sorting through emails, doing a bit of content or working through non-essential but easier tasks; the likelihood is that by the time I get around to the priority tasks, I simply wouldn't be able to.

It's about finding what works for you and making a commitment to try it out for at least 90 days (unless it goes horribly and you get nothing done!). This amount of time allows you to learn this new way of working, embedding the new habits until they are more automatic.

Get to know how and when you work best, create a plan that works for you, and prioritise your tasks with that in mind.

Set realistic deadlines for each of your tasks. It may be a good idea to spend a week making a note of how long different tasks took you and how you felt afterwards (drained / energised / motivated etc.).

I have a free Time Audit you can download. Becoming crystal clear on where you time is really spent, and the impact on your energy levels can change your entire approach to time management.

Weekly Planning

Choose a time each week to reflect and review on the previous week and your progress overall. Then, make time for a dedicated planning session. This does not have to take hours.

For my reflection sessions I spend 10 minutes on a Friday morning checking back over weekly and monthly objectives. I make a note of how I felt, things I noticed, what went well and what didn't go so well.

I have my planning sessions every Sunday. I refer to my reflections / review and build from there, looking at my monthly goals. This takes. me 15 – 30 minutes, depending on what I'm working on. Then I'm done and I have zero Monday dread because I know exactly what needs my attention!

Some other planning tips:

Plan your week and days, schedule dedicated time slots for specific tasks as well as breaks and personal appointments.

Have a clear start and end time – something that can be easily overlooked when you work for yourself and from home.

Don't over fill your diary. Give yourself some space that's not earmarked for breaks or work. These fillers can come in handy when unexpected things crop up!

2. Time Blocking.

Time blocking is brilliant for improving time management. You simply block out specific time periods of time for different activities, such as client work, admin tasks, personal time, content creation etc.

You can use your online calendar, create an Excel template, or use a paper planner. As long as you can identify the hours for the day. It does look good when you can see the whole week as well, which is why I like to create a weekly overview.

To create your time blocks, you break the day into 30 minute or hourly sections. These will be the basis of the time blocks and can be as flexible as you need them to be.

As you look at your day, you assign different blocks to specific activities. This is great for those time stealing tasks like emails and social media, because it helps you to avoid becoming distracted.

It helps you have total clarity of what you need to focus on each day, heping to remove the risk of indecision and procrastination.

Remember to include blocks for breaks to prevent overwhelm, and to keep personal and work / life boundaries.

3. Automate or Outsource.

As an entrepreneur / coach / creator / service provider, you're juggling so many different things which can feel pretty stressful at times. If one thing drops it can have a domino effect and quickly feel like things are spiralling out of control, and impossible to manage.

Automating or outsourcing some of the standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) can save you a lot of time and energy.

If outsourcing isn't possible for you right now, embrace automation to help streamline your workflow. Depending on how comfortable you are with tech, this may be a pretty simple step, but for others it may feel complicated.

Automation is where tasks that are repetitive are completed by tech, which frees up your time. For example, email autoresponders, social media schedulers.

I use an all-in-one system in my business. It's a platform that not only hosts my website, but also memberships, online courses, email marketing & sales funnels! *The Smart Growth System is brilliant, saving me time and energy with everything kept in one place!

Instead of creating things from scratch, this system has built in automations making email marketing so much easier. It saves time with content creation, scheduling, booking calls, sales pages and more.

It's not only saved me time, it's also saved me a great deal of money as I only need the one system instead of paying for 3-4 systems to make it all work.

Project management platforms like Trello or Notion can also be automated to help with managing time, content and repurposing your work. These can be a great way to improve the organisation of your projects, as well as your time management.

Once you are able to, outsource certain tasks like content creation, to virtual assistants (VA's) or freelancers. You could also connect with other entrepreneurs and skill-swap or work together on projects where both of your skill sets complement each other.

When you free up your time, you can focus more on the tasks that need your full attention, and improve your work-life balance. Automated systems take time initially to set up, but once they are created, they can be replicated for additional products and systems in much less time.

4. Batch Work.

Batching is something I avoided for far too long in my business. The way that I've worked tended to be led by where my energy was, what I know I am good at and the element of pressure when there's a deadline.

Tasks that are more boring or non-creative are so easy to avoid, especially when admin or report-like tasks are not my strongest skill set. As a teacher I loved to teach, prepare lessons and be with my students, but the background paperwork was always a chore and something I put off.

The thought of sitting for hours to complete tasks in a batching format didn't appeal to me at all. But I kept hearing others talk about it for content creation which is something I don't like spending time on. Now that I batch the content, not only is most of the content completed in just one day for the entire month, the content is more focused and strategic.

As someone who lives with chronic illness (ME/CFS), knowing that the majority of this is prepped and ready to go, relieves a lot of pressure and stress for those days and weeks that I have to take it easy.

It's a great time management method, and one I do recommend to others now.

5. Create Boundaries.

I know it's really difficult to hold work related boundaries, especially in the beginning as you're focused on building your business, time management can be the first thing to slip.

While it's tempting to take on every opportunity that comes your way, it's important to set boundaries. This includes taking on too many new clients, or clients who aren't the right fit.

There can be a huge element of FOMO in the online coaching world, so try to not rush into new projects without taking a step back and truly reflecting on what it is and how it will help you move closer to your own goals.

A common sales tactic in coaching can be time pressure (scarcity). But more often than not, a few weeks or months later the same or very similar offer will appear again. I've definitely been sucked into this a few times, and felt a bit silly once I realised this was how things often work.

Prioritise your well-being and avoid overcommitment, saying no allows you to say yes to what truly matters to you and your business.

This includes being mindful of Shiny Object Syndrome. There are SO many amazing coaches out there with fabulous courses, masterminds and memberships. But if you sign up to too many, you won't get the benefit of any of them!

Keep focused on what will help you move forward and what will help you right now. There is time to explore other avenues, but if you commit to too much, there's a chance nothing will be completed.

6. Take Care of You.

When we think about time management it's easy to forget that this includes considering yourself and your needs. Taking care of yourself is crucial for not only your health, but also for maintaining productivity and avoiding burnout.

Key things you can do include:

Prioritise activities that recharge your energy.

Make time for exercise, hobbies, and spending time with loved ones.

Make self-care a non-negotiable part of your routine.

When you also focus on yourself, you'll also improve your ability to focus, to be creative and inspired, as well as your overall well-being.

I totally get how addictive working on your passion, and building your business can be, but you are your business, so look after yourself!

7. Reflect and Adapt.

Regularly reflect on your time management strategies and make adjustments as needed. Assess what's working well and what can be improved.

Each week reflect on what you've achieved. Note what has worked well, what hasn't and how you can adjust or pivot to improve the following week. Repeat this monthly and quarterly to ensure you're still progressing well towards your big goals.

Experiment with different techniques and tools to find what suits your style best when it comes to time management and productivity. Be flexible and open to adapting your approach as your business evolves.

Remember, time management is an ongoing journey, and finding the right balance is unique to everyone.

Tools & Resources:

Each post I add my favourite tools and resources, so here are some more just for you!

Your Growth System – This all-in-one system for service providers / coaches / therapists / VA's etc. is a perfect way to save time & energy. Improve your productivity and beat procrastination by having everything you need to run your business in one place!

Sunsama – A brilliant task management that is perfect for busy and neurodiverse minds who easily find themselves overwhelmed and distracted. grab a free 2 week trial and free month!

Canva Pro – Upgrade your content design with Canva Pro. Explore the enhanced features available in Pro. Grab your free trial here.

Etsy – Are you ready to create your own online store? Etsy is a brilliant shopping platform that's used by millions. Setting up your store is simple, and when you sign up with this link we both get 40 free listings!

Pinterest Guide – If you're looking to get into Pinterest, I highly recommend Amy's free guide and Pinterest course. It's up-to-date for 2024 & she also has a brilliant course for only $67 that's updated frequently.

Task Batching – I created this task batching / brain dump workbook to help you get to grips with batching tasks. You can also read the post here for further info!

Final Thoughts:

Effective time management is essential for entrepreneurs and online service providers. By implementing these friendly and relaxed tips, you'll reclaim control over your schedule, increase productivity, and foster a healthier work-life balance.

Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, so be patient with yourself as you refine your time management skills. Embrace the process and enjoy the journey of establishing and running your business – it's why you chose to do it in the first place right?!

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Meet Lynsey

Hey there! I'm Lynsey, a coach, counsellor, and mentor for low energy, introverted or low confident female coaches & small business owners. With over 5 years’ experience of running businesses, and over a decade as a tutor and trainer, I've learned the value of effective time management that energises you through working with your energy.

I've lived with chronic illness – ME/CFS since 2011 and since then I re-trained as a counsellor, and achieved a distinction for my MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice; all while running 4 businesses! I want that for you as well & it is possible with the right support and pathway to success.

Improving your mindset, finding acceptance and developing a solution-focused approach to achieving your goals is my passion. Blending mental health support where needed, as well as a supportive space and methods to manage your work more effectively.

If you'd like to know more about working with me, you can email [email protected] or find me on socials (links in the menu)

Have you seen my online store Shop.QuietlyConquer? Find DFY templates, downloads & more!