by ‘So many people spend their health gaining wealth,
and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health’
– J. Reb Materi
Time management is one of the most crucial skills for any business person and especially for an entrepreneur. When work and play become so intertwined, it can become difficult to draw a line between the two and create some ‘me time’ and this often has quite a negative effect on our health and well-being.
So how do you create the elusive ‘work/life’ balance, and do you even want to? For some people, their work is their passion and they wake up each day smiling at the prospect of the day ahead regardless of what it entails; however a study by the National Life Insurance company revealed that 4 out of 10 Americans find their jobs ‘extremely’ stressful and these people are 3 times as likely to suffer from stress related conditions as a result.
With this in mind, we’ve put together some pointers to help you on the road to a stress free life and work environment, and a happy healthy self!
1. The checklist.
Even in this digital world, a pen and paper can be one of your best time management tools. The best way is to sit down each evening and plan out your tasks for the next day, which you can tick off or reschedule as you go along. This way you have the peace of mind of knowing exactly what you’re doing, but also giving yourself the space to focus your energy on completing one task at a time. If old school doesn’t cut it for you, there are some great memo tools online such as Evernote which you can opt for instead. Personally, I like to use a wall mounted chalkboard right over my desk… so use whatever works for you!
2. Be tight with your time sharing.
Your time is money, because as an entrepreneur – you are your business. It’s important not to fall into the trap of arranging long drawn out meetings just for the sake of it, and you can do this by planning ahead. Think about what needs to be discussed, what outcome you’re seeking and if you really, really need to be there. Then dedicate a time slot to the meeting and stick to it, no matter what. It’s okay to decline that fifth cup of coffee, I promise…
3. Delegate
As I mentioned, your time is precious and it’s important that you learn to delegate where possible. Your team is there to help you, so let them. This sometimes means handing over that huge corporate account to the newbie, or simply letting your assistant deal with your afternoon calls. And once you’re surrounded by the right people you can focus your time and energy on the core business and growth.
We hope that these tips help you to have a wonderful and relaxing weekend!
