Business owners need better time management. Or do they? The amount of time in the day doesn’t change, so it literally manages itself. Maybe the problem isn’t with time management, but with self-management.

Growing your business takes incredible discipline and organization. It also requires a great deal of self-reflection to closely monitor and hold yourself accountable for what you are doing with the time you are given.

In an article by productivity consultant, David Allen, “Time management is what we do during time. But it’s easier for executives to say that time is what needs to be managed rather than themselves. It’s easier to make time the enemy and parade our task lists, rather than to admit that we simply don’t keep our agreements.”

When you accept this truth and are really honest about how you are spending your time, you can pull up your boot straps and grow your business.

Here are five self-management strategies that will help you save time and work smarter, not harder.

1. Spend your time wisely – To-do lists are important, but not as important as your ability to remain flexible and adaptable. If you remain a slave to your to-do list without an understanding of low- level and high-level priorities, you will waste time and effort on activities that will not yield high- level results. Activities that are directly connected to business growth should be at the top of your list while maintenance activities get delegated or pushed to the bottom.
2. Set personal and business goals – Specific goals should guide your schedule. When you know where you’re going personally and professionally, your daily schedule and plans will be more intentional. You will also be able to track your progress so you can assess and pivot as needed to ensure you are growing.
3. Take time for self-care – In the midst of growing a business, your physical, emotional, and spiritual health can suffer. While this may seem secondary to the demands of your business, it actually should be a primary concern. If you are not healthy, your business will not be healthy. This means that you must take time to recharge your body, mind, and spirit. Self-care is different for everyone, since it is based on needs and preferences. A self-care plan is just as vital as a business growth plan.
4. Determine your peak times – Each person has specific times during the day when they have the most energy. Some are the most alert early in the morning. Others may find that their energy peaks towards the evening. Schedule your high- brain tasks during your peak energy times and your low- brain tasks when your energy tends to be lower.

 


5. Routines and systems – Self-discipline is not easy, especially when there are so many tasks and responsibilities that rest on a business owner’s shoulders. To minimize inconsistency, set routines and systems in your business and in your personal life. Repeated daily actions can accelerate your business while also helping you grow personally and professionally.

By putting some of these strategies in place, you will be able to manage both yourself and your time.

You can’t pull up your boot straps and grow your business until you learn how to effectively manage yourself. Once you do that, the effective management of your business’s growth will naturally follow.