One of the great things about being an entrepreneur is setting your own hours and work schedule. People often go into business ownership believing that they will work less and have more time to play. However, the reality is that entrepreneurs often end up working more and have trouble establishing work-life boundaries. They check their email while on vacation or when out to dinner with family. Entrepreneurs often take work calls during non-business hours, too. The reason they do this because they feel there is not enough time in their workday to get all of the work finished. They find deadlines sneak up on them or have too many meetings scheduled. If this sounds like you, these calendar management and scheduling skills will help you manage your time more effectively so you can work less as you once dreamed!
Establish A Routine
Entrepreneurs often like to be flexible and not plan every minute of their day. However, if you don’t establish a routine, you may find yourself procrastinating or just wondering which tasks you should do and in what order. You will waste valuable time, and you will realize you didn’t get much accomplished. Creating a routine will empower you to stay focused and know what you need to do and when to do it. You may need to try out your routine and make adjustments to figure out what works best for you. Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Make a list of all of your daily tasks. Don’t forget to list things like checking and responding to emails and phone calls. You want to make sure you fit everything you need to do in your day.
- Create a schedule by blocking off increments of time. Calendar management may be an adjustment for those who like to be flexible, but you will appreciate how this will work to budget your time. Take the list of your daily tasks and set up blocks of time on your calendar for the times of your day that you will commit to those tasks. And stick with your schedule!
- Leave some blank spaces for flexibility. No matter how much we plan our day, we may find surprises that we did not anticipate. Leave room in your schedule, and then you won’t be frantically trying to squeeze in the unexpected into your day.
- Schedule around your energy levels. Typically people have the most energy and focus in the morning, which is the best time to tackle the work that needs critical thinking, problem-solving, and projects. If you like to check your email two or three times a day, split it up into increments and place that on your schedule. The end of the day is a good time to do a brain dump and plan the next day.
- Don’t forget to schedule breaks. Carve out time in your schedule for lunch and rest breaks. Use those breaks to go for a walk, stretch, or just relax if your day is busy. You will feel refreshed and able to tackle the next task.
Use One Master Calendar
Some people have a separate calendar for home and work. This can cause you to forget appointments and overschedule yourself. Set up an online calendar, such as Google Calendar, that you can access on any device, including your phone. Google Calendar lets you combine multiple calendars all in one master calendar, and you can share your calendar with your team and family members, so everyone is on the same page as you.
Don’t Forget To Check Your Calendar
Now that you have a master calendar and your daily routine schedule don’t forget to check your calendar ahead of time. Review your calendar for the week on Sunday evening, so you will know that you have a Monday morning meeting that you need to be on time for or a Wednesday afternoon dentist appointment that you forgot you scheduled a year ago. Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Organize Your Calendar
Once you have adjusted your schedule to your liking, organize your calendar by batching and color-coding.
- Batching – Group similar tasks together, rather than break them up across the day or week. If you know you have to write blogs for your website and other content for your newsletter and social media, it is best to do all of your writing at one block of your day rather than break it up. Your brain will focus on writing, and the words will flow. If you break it up, you may find yourself with writer’s block!
- Color-Coding – Designate a color for specific tasks so that you will quickly recognize urgent matters from daily tasks that are less urgent. For example, use red for meetings and events, so they stand out. Use yellow for creative work such as blog writing or designing your graphics. Use blue for responding to emails and phone calls.
Delegate Your Scheduling And Other Tasks To Save Time
If doing your own calendar management and schedule sounds like too much for you, you can delegate it! A Virtual Expert ® specializing in Calendar Management and Email Management can tackle these types of tasks for you, saving you time and hassle. Delegating some of your routine jobs like these can free up some of your time. Delegating allows you to focus on more important work that will cause your business to grow!