In my research there is a common thread that successful entrepreneurs share with regard to time – they both respect and value it. The way they manage their time clearly reflects both of these things and the behaviours they most commonly display can be summarised in 7 concepts – so here goes:
1 – Entrepreneurs understand that planning and scheduling is Key.
On a big picture level, entrepreneurs value planning for both their business and personal lives. Being clear about where they wish to be and how they intend to get there are common characteristics that entrepreneurs share.
Planning is important on many levels but when we discuss time management, we mean the ability to plan out our day so that we maximise the opportunity it brings us.
For entrepreneurs, planning includes:
- Having a clear understanding of what you want to achieve
- Understanding the tasks that need to be done to achieve it
- Having a to-do list to capture all of those tasks
- They work to deadlines – they set a time for each task and get it done
This deadline style of thinking often increases focus and makes us less tolerant to interruptions. Bringing this ‘deadline focus’ into a daily routine can do wonders as long as you don’t add more on the to-do list for the extra time you free up!
2 – Entrepreneurs are decisive (they don’t procrastinate!)
Entrepreneurs determine the best way to utilise their time each day We should never have more than 2-3 big things to accomplish in a day and they should all be activities that move us toward our goal or goals.
Being decisive requires that we have a clear idea of what we want and where we want to go. Without this we have no yardstick to judge each decision against.
When you are making decisions, honour your top priorities. If it’s not an absolute ‘yes’, then it is a ‘no’.
Decisiveness is the willingness to make decisions, even in the face of complexity or uncertainty. When we are decisive, we weigh the information that is available to us and we use our judgement to choose among the possibilities. It is easier to be decisive when we are clear about our values and goals.
Decisiveness means taking the risk that we may be wrong, but knowing that perfect clarity is rarely available and indecision can be costly. It also means taking responsibility for the outcome of the decision. Together, research, analysis and decisiveness get great things done.
Entrepreneurs don’t avoid or procrastinate
Avoiding anything drains our energy because we are always thinking about it. Find a way to do it, delegate it or dump it!
Watch this video for some inspiration on getting those challenging jobs done!
3 – Entrepreneurs are discerning with their time
“The practice of discernment is part of higher consciousness. Discernment is not just a step up from judgment. In life’s curriculum, it is the opposite of judgment. Through judgment a man reveals what he needs to confront and learn. Through discernment, one reveals what he has mastered.” Glenda Green
Discernment is the ability to grasp, comprehend, and evaluate clearly. It means we can see the true nature of things; it allows us to distinguish between what is real and what is imitation.
Discernment may begin with intuitive hunches and perceptiveness. With intuition as a starting point, the quality of discernment is built over time on honest observation, careful reasoning, and balanced application of our knowledge and principles. In a person who is highly discerning, intuition, emotion, and reason inform each other. As we grow in experience, our ability to discern usually grows stronger, providing us with insight that propels us toward greater wisdom.
4 – Entrepreneurs Realise the benefits of Mono-tasking and FOCUS!
I have always said that Multi-tasking is the enemy of productivity!
If you are feeling overwhelmed? Odds are you’re spending way too much time thinking about all the things you think you need to get done.
So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, quit stressing yourself out.
Steve Chandler author of Time Warrior says “In a simple life in which you only do what’s in front of you, there can be no overwhelm, ever. That life is yours to create. And it never arrives, it must be created.”
Pick one thing to do and do it with everything you’ve got.
And repeat. 🙂
“Keep your life creative and simple: what needs to be done now in these three minutes? That’s all you ever need to ask, and you’ll never have anything like procrastination bother you again.”
Focus comes from Clarity and from clarity also comes energy so If you want energy get REALLY clear on what you want and then focus on that alone!
Push my head under water and I experience an increase in energy because I am immediately focused on what I want to do. I want to get out of the water. So I know exactly what I want to do.
And any time we know exactly what we want to do our energy increases. So get clear and get focused!
5 – Entrepreneurs know when to say ‘No’
We have already discussed the importance of discernment and its impact on managing time. Part of the challenge in being discerning is that we have to learn to say ‘no’. Sometimes adding just one more thing to the to-do list means an extra hour of work and can often lead to resentment later.
One of our greatest challenges is to overcome the “HAVE TO” feeling and replace it with CHOICE
You do have a choice. You don’t have to want to do the task, nor do you have to love it. But if you prefer it to the consequences of not doing it, you can decide to commit to it wholeheartedly. Once you decide it makes sense for you to assert more positively and powerfully.
We need to watch how often we use “have to” and realize that every time we say “I have to” we’re effectively diminishing our power.
Seneca says: “There is nothing the wise man does reluctantly.”
While Carlos Castaneda tells us: “We hardly ever realize that we can cut anything out of our lives, anytime, in the blink of an eye.”
We already have too much to do and too little time in which to do it. The average person today is working at about 110% of capacity, or more. Your dance card is full. You do not have any spare time. You can only gain control of your life to the degree to which you stop doing things that are no longer as valuable or as important to you as other things you could be doing.
6 – Entrepreneurs Outsource, delegate and automate
Pay someone else to do it or find a way to streamline it! What else can I say – It doesn’t get much simpler than that!
7 – Entrepreneurs Monitor and Review
As your life changes, your priorities change as well. Certain things that were important at one stage of your life or career are no longer as important as you move to another stage of your life or to another level of responsibility.
You must continually ask yourself, “What activities in my life can I cut back on, delegate, or discontinue to free up more time for my most important activities?”
To start anything new, you must stop doing something old. Brian Tracy says that “getting in means getting out.”
Regularly monitor and analyze your time carefully and have the courage to stop doing things that are no longer as important to you as other things could be.
Starting up means stopping off. Getting in requires getting out. You cannot take on something new without deliberately deciding to discontinue something else. What is it going to be?
Consider these 7 tips when you review how you manage yourself around time.
Talk to you soon
Helen
