If you are like me, you struggle to keep up with everything and always feel like you are running behind. I have found some super helpful time management tips for you, my fellow busy small business owners!
Welcome to, or back to the GinAdmin Blog. My name is Gina Koran and I will be your host today as I share with you some of my coffee-induced thoughts and ideas.
So grab your mug…this is a good one!
Managing your time
There are only so many hours in any given day.
You cannot store it.
You cannot borrow more for later.
And depending on where you are in your life cycle, you may have other responsibilities as well.
Family, housework, yardwork, kids’ activities…maybe you’re even still working a 9 to 5, so your time is spread thin.
The good news?
You can decide what you spend your time on.
Naturally, you want to spend your time on things that add value to your life.
But life is so busy today, how can you possibly have time for those things that matter the most to you?
Luckily, there are loads of time management techniques that are tailor-made for busy people, especially small business owners!
Ideas that will help simplify how you work, ensuring that you get tasks done more efficiently and giving you more time for whatever you choose.
Now, obviously not all of these will work for you. But I hope that at least one gives you time back in your busy schedule!
1. Organize your small business time around your energy levels.
Your productivity levels are directly related to your energy levels, so schedule your hardest tasks for when your energy levels are at their highest.
Any low-value tasks that require little energy, such as responding to emails, can be scheduled for the times when your energy levels are lower.
I know that my most productive time is first thing. Well, first thing AFTER my first cup of coffee.
So any hard task I may have for the day, I do that first (after the coffee).
Plus, when you start the day off by completing your most important tasks, you will give yourself a boost of momentum and a real sense of accomplishment.
2. Prioritize tasks by days or times.
Time management tip: write down the 3-5 most important tasks you must complete tomorrow.
When every task is a priority, nothing is.
Maybe start by trying to do one task per day.
As you get more consistent and start getting that one thing done faster, you can try adding another task each day.
You can also use a calendar app like Google Calendar to track your daily activities.
I’ve talked before about my calendar – it looks like a kindergartner took their crayons to it.
All I have to do is glance at my calendar, and I know what task is next!
Make a plan for the day.
Before you go to bed, write a to-do list for the next day.
I know I’ve talked about this before as well. Before I head to bed each night, I make a list of my top 3 or 5 tasks that MUST be done tomorrow.
When you plan ahead, you are mentally preparing yourself for any challenges you may face.
This will also help to limit procrastination at the start of the day and ensure that you work faster and more efficiently.
3. Don’t try to do too much at once.
If you try to do too much, you will end up doing nothing well.
Instead, try focusing on one thing at a time.
This will help you stay organized and avoid getting overwhelmed.
What I found was that I was constantly jumping from one task to another, taking longer to accomplish anything at all.
Now, I start a task, finish a task, move on to the next.
This doesn’t always work, naturally.
There may be information I’m waiting for from a client.
Or I may have to stop for an appointment.
The point is, try to finish a task once you start it.
4. Break down your small business projects into smaller chunks.
Breaking bigger projects down into small chunks will allow you to accomplish more in less time.
It is easier to complete a task when it is broken down into smaller parts.
It also helps you to avoid overwhelm at the beginning of a project.
5. Outsource smaller business tasks.
You don’t have to complete every task yourself.
Especially those low-priority tasks.
Sometimes it is better to outsource these tasks, so you can focus your attention on the more pressing tasks.
I have a client that CAN do social media. And has done them herself since starting her business.
But as any small business owner knows, there are so many tasks that need taken care of every single day.
And they can start to take over your day.
My client who CAN do them—she looked at what she was doing and found that so much of her time was spent on social media that she was neglecting the money-making tasks that also needed done.
Today, she does some of the social media tasks – the ones that require her to personally take care of.
The rest? She’s outsourced to a Freelancer – that would be me!
Win-win for both of us. She focuses on the business she loves and I happily swim through those social media tasks each day.
6. Cut out distractions.
When you are distracted, it can take a while to get your focus back.
This can greatly limit your productivity.
Consider turning off the notifications on your phone.
Time management tip for small business owners: cut out distractions.
Invest in a pair of headphones.
I LOVE mine!
I can put them on, whether I’m listening to anything at all or not – and they block out all outside noise, allowing me to focus much better.
Because, of course I love shiny objects and am easily distracted by them!
Browsing social media is a big distraction and should really be avoided if you want to increase productivity.
For social media, I usually only check my own at the end of the day.
And even then, I set the timer on my phone. Otherwise…shiny objects!
7. Realize that things don’t need to be perfect.
It’s easy to get caught up in trying to make everything perfect.
However, perfectionism will slow you down and could result in deadlines being missed.
If so, absolutely focus your energy on ensuring it is right.
If not, give yourself a bit of a break. Not one single person walking the Earth today is perfect!
8. Take regular breaks throughout the day.
Time management tip for small business owners: take regular breaks.
If you work at a desk job, take frequent breaks throughout the day.
This allows your body to relax and rejuvenate.
Taking short walks during lunchtime or taking a quick nap after lunch can help too.
I go walkabout with the pupper.
He, in fact, insists on going walkabout.
Sometimes I have to remind myself that going walkabout benefits both of us – especially if I am right in the middle of a project and have been sitting far too long when I get that nudge!
So, those are my time management tips for small business owners.
Again, not ALL of these will work for you.
Maybe none will.
But I hope you will find at least one that does.
Once you find those that work best for your situation, I encourage you to use them daily.
Your productivity will increase, and you will save precious time in your busy life, giving you the time to do what matters most to you.
Do you have some time management tips for small business owners to share?
Feel free to drop them below – I’d love to hear more ideas!
And if you need to free up some time in your day, consider working with a Freelancer!
Until next time, my friends…stay happy, healthy and safe!
Have you ever found yourself angry with YOU because something you’ve worked so hard at isn’t just exactly perfect?
No? Just me? Hmm.
Today, we’re talking about perfectionism and some ideas my coffee-saturated brain has on overcoming perfectionism.
Perfection is highly desired, so perfectionism must be good, right?
It seems like our society applauds being a perfectionist.
It’s made out to be a good thing in all forms of popular media and across social media.
Except for the fact that true perfection isn’t possible.
Sure, there are traits perfectionists have that are good things.
Drive, ambition, the desire to improve. Lofty goals and the dedication to work hard to achieve them. A desire to be the best you can be.
All of these things are absolutely good character traits.
The problem is that perfectionism takes all of these and pushes them to toxic levels.
Even “great” becomes “not good enough” and every goal achieved, no matter how lofty, must be succeeded by an even harder goal.
Accept it as part of your personality.
If you’re struggling with perfectionism, know that you can get move beyond it and live a much healthier and more rewarding life.
You just have to work hard at making progress over your perfectionism.
You CAN do this. And the outcome will be more than worth it!
So, are YOU a perfectionist?
Perfectionists tend to set unrealistic goals for themselves and others.
Here are some common characteristics of perfectionists. If you recognize yourself in this list, you probably are a perfectionist.
Perfectionists Set Unrealistic goals.
Do you want everything to be perfect?
Do you set standards so high that even Superman would have trouble meeting your expectations?
It’s these impossible-to-meet standards that lead to frustration and anxiety.
You are Extremely Critical of Yourself and Others.
Because you want to meet those high goals that you set and/or expect others to set them, you are hard on yourself and others.
Especially when mistakes or “failures” happen.
You might berate yourself or others or get angry when things don’t turn out as you expect.
Perfectionists Tend to Only Focus on Results.
Do you enjoy the journey towards reaching a goal?
Or are you so focused on achieving the goal that the process doesn’t matter?
Growing and learning along the way is often the best part of reaching a goal, but if you can’t see anything except the goal itself, you’re probably a perfectionist.
You Have a Huge Fear of Failure.
Are you terrified of failing?
Does the thought of making a mistake make your blood run cold?
Do you have nightmares about failing to live up to your own expectations?
Fear of failure pushes most perfectionists to work even harder and faster to avoid the dreaded outcome.
Perfectionists Have All-or-Nothing Thinking.
You believe that if it is not perfect, it does not count.
Let me give you an example of perfectionism.
We live on a 100-acre farm. As with most farms, we have a VERY long driveway.
A few years ago, we decided that we wanted to line the bottom (we live on top of the hill) of the driveway with Dogwood trees.
And we wanted to alternate them, pink and white.
Off we go to get our tress, relying on the employees at the place to give us 12 WHITE and 12 PINK dogwood trees.
Naturally, some of the pink…are white.
And they’re not ALL trees. Some of them are Dogwood BUSHES.
Most flowers on Dogwood trees are rounded.
Several of ours are pointed. Those are the Dogwood bushes.
Move forward a couple of years when the trees start to bloom.
Overcoming perfectionist tendencies can be hard, especially when out of your own control!
Instead of alternating colors, we have three or four of the same color in a row.
And the flowers are different on some of them.
Cue the perfectionist.
Colors must be alternated.
Bushes must be swapped out for trees.
Yikes! This is going to be a lot of work.
OR we can let them grow where they are.
We also found that the white bloom before the pink. Most of the white flowers are gone before the pink pop.
Who’s going to know?
Well, being perfectionists…WE will know.
Now, in case you’re wondering…no, we didn’t dig out the offending “wrong” trees and toss them.
Remember…100 acres. The ones we did replace have found happy, new homes elsewhere on the farm.
Some stayed put, because we’re working hard to overcome our own perfectionism traits!
And guess what…not one single person has EVER commented about the fact that there are more white dogwood trees than pink lining our driveway!
It’s quite likely no one has even noticed this phenomenon!
Perfectionism isn’t all bad.
It may seem that way, given the negative effects that it can have on a person and their life, but that may not be so.
Perfectionists share many positive traits that are highly desired and lead to success in life.
The problem occurs when these traits are taken too far and become toxic.
Jeeze, where’s the positive?
Well, here are a few of the positive qualities most perfectionists share.
They Have Big Dreams and Drive.
Perfectionists share a passion for lofty goals and the drive to work for them.
This is an incredible thing.
Many people never even consider setting the kind of goals a perfectionist takes for granted.
This gives perfectionists a much better chance of succeeding in life.
Perfectionists Are Driven to Excellence.
There’s nothing wrong with having standards, and that’s what perfectionists excel at.
Perfectionists often perform better and create better end products because they have such high standards.
They Are Very Dedicated to Completing a Task.
It is hard to find someone more dedicated to reaching a goal or succeeding than a perfectionist.
Perfectionists as a whole tend to work harder and longer than most to achieve whatever they set their minds to.
Perfectionist give over-attention to detail
They can become almost single-minded in their pursuits.
The desire to achieve can move them to think outside the box, increasing the odds of success.
Perfectionists Are Extremely Detail-Oriented.
The desire for perfection lends itself to paying attention to the small things, and perfectionists tend to be detail-oriented people whose sharp eyes will pick up on flaws, glitches, and other hard-to-spot details that most people miss.
They Refuse to Accept Failure.
Many perfectionists don’t know when to give up, or even if they should.
This stubbornness often leads them to achieve incredible breakthroughs in their field, whether it is in sports, science, medicine, etc.
Each of these qualities is a good thing, and no one thinks you should give them up in your quest to overcome perfectionism.
They’re part of who you are.
Too much of a good thing becomes unhealthy, however, and your challenge as you struggle to make progress over your perfectionism is going to be to rein in the good things about being a perfectionist just enough that they are healthy and helpful rather than a problem.
Mistakes Don’t Make You a Failure.
No one likes making mistakes.
This is especially true for perfectionists. You want to do everything perfectly.
When something goes wrong, it may feel like the world has ended and that you’re a failure.
But mistakes and failure aren’t the same thing.
Even if something you tried to do didn’t work, even if it “failed” spectacularly, that is not the same thing as failure, nor does it MAKE you a failure.
Good is the enemy of great. But perfect is the enemy of everything.
Remind yourself that whatever the mistake was, it does not reflect on who you are or on your worth as a person.
Admit the Mistake.
It might be tempting to pretend the mistake didn’t happen, to brush it off like it was nothing important.
This might salvage your bruised your ego, but you won’t learn anything.
Figure Out What Went Wrong.
Do you know what caused the mistake?
Why did it happen?
What led to the issue in the first place?
Was it something you did?
Something you didn’t do?
Were there causes beyond your control?
Try to determine the root cause of the issue.
What You Can Learn from the Mistake?
Mistakes might be painful, but every mistake is an opportunity to learn and grow as a person.
If you just step back and take a look at the mistake, figure out the cause and see what lessons you can learn, you can then apply those lessons in the future so that you don’t make the same mistake again.
Perfection isn’t possible, but self-improvement is!
Start Each Day Fresh.
Every day is a brand-new day.
Don’t dwell on the mistakes you made yesterday, the things you didn’t get done, the bad (or even the good) things that happened.
Every day is completely new.
It’s a 24-hour gift just for you.
Start each day as if it’s new and fresh and no other days have happened, and you’ll free yourself of much of the stress that comes from undone tasks and past mistakes.
Focus on the Process, Not the Results.
Remember that having goals is great and is good for everyone, but it’s not the most important part of trying to reach the goal!
The process is much more important than the end result.
Instead of focusing on the amazing progress that you’ve made, or the results that you’ve achieved, you focus on what you didn’t do or what didn’t go just right.
Learning and growth all occur while you are striving to reach the goal, not when you actually reach it.
Redirect your mind to the process when you catch yourself focusing on the end result.
Focus on the work you are putting in and not the results you hope to achieve, and you will go further than you’ve ever imagined.
Reward yourself when you overcome perfectionist traits!
Reward Yourself.
Who doesn’t like being rewarded? Our brains love it.
They are structured to respond to rewards-the more immediate and the more desired, the better.
How can you use this in your quest to overcome your perfectionism?
Set rewards for yourself for doing (or not doing) specific behaviors.
These should be specific rewards that you love, that you have easy access to, and that you can have immediately.
Those of you who know me or have been following my blogs the past few months know that I am a coffee-holic.
So, when I want to reward myself…COFFEE!
Try New Things.
The drive to be perfect all the time can make it hard to try something new when you know you are not going to be perfect at it from the start.
The way to overcome this problem isn’t to avoid trying new things.
The best way to overcome it is to try new things more often.
In fact, make it a habit; aim to try several new things every month.
Your mind will become accustomed to being a beginner and will help you get out of the habit of expecting perfection (or even excellence) the first time you do something.
Look at your progress and what you’ve done.
Maybe things haven’t changed too much, but they certainly have changed.
Take a good long look at where you are and where you started, and you will see the changes!
You may not be you want to be yet, and you’re not making progress as fast as you would like, but guess what?
That’s okay.
Nothing good gets completed in a hurry (remember that old saying about Rome?) and you can’t change a lifetime worth of habits overnight.
Small steps are the way to go.
The smallest baby steps add up over time and will completely change your life.
It takes patience and dedication, but it is much easier to remain committed to small changes than to try and make giant leaps!
May Busch, EXECUTIVE COACH, SPEAKER, ADVISOR, AUTHOR, ENTREPRENEUR has some additional, great tips on overcoming perfectionism – check out her article!
So start to recognize it in your own behavior, and experiment to find the ways that work best for you to apply it only in those situations when it’s needed. That way, you can make the tendency toward perfect work for you, not against you.
If you are like me, as a small business owner/entrepreneur, your daily routine is key to your productivity. Today, I am sharing 7 ways to help boost your productivity with daily routines.
Welcome back to GinAdmin. I’m your host, Gina Koran and as always, I’m pleased you chose to spend a few minutes of your busy day with me as I share my coffee-induced thoughts with you. So grab your cup…
Many of the things we do each day to reach our goals can be achieved by creating small routines or daily habits that you perform without even thinking about it each day.
By making your actions routine and, more importantly, a habit, you will find you get more done and not feel like you are always working.
Get Hydrated
Starting off the day hydrated will boost your energy and make it more likely that you get your tasks completed.
Staying hydrated keeps you focused and boosts productivity throughout the day.
Even yours truly, a self-proclaimed coffee addict, I start my day with at least one glass of water. And while I might joke that I drink that glass of water to clean my palate before I start my coffee IV, it is truly to get myself hydrated after a full-night’s sleep.
I also will drink water with my lunch and my evening meal to keep myself hydrated, understanding that staying hydrated keeps me focused and more productive throughout the day.
The great thing about water is that you can spruce it up. Add a slice of lemon. Toss in some fresh mint. Maybe cucumber slices. So many possibilities!
Review Your Schedule
I’ve talked about this before, but each night before bed I write down the most important tasks I need to work on the next morning.
Then first thing (after my glass of water, of course) each morning before I start my day, I glance over my list to get an overview of what I need to do during the day.
Then, I can prioritize each item based on my very colorfully-coded calendar.
If you are looking for some inspiration on time blocking, check out Cindy Bidar’s latest podcast : “How to Use Time Blocking to Get Stuff Done”. Cindy is a master at this!
Create a Morning Routine
Set up a morning routine for your self-care. This is totally personalized to each person, based on your needs.
You can start with a shower, make your bed, get dressed, eat breakfast, etc.
You may also want to add meditation, do some yoga, or maybe even journaling into your morning routine.
Those are some of my own routine: drink my glass of water, do my morning stretches for my back, brush my teeth, shower and dress for the day, make the bed.
And finally make my first cup of magic bean water a.k.a. coffee. As my friends at Chicago French Press say: Coffee beans magically turn into a life-changing potion everyday!
Then I head into my office to start my day, starting with that task list!
Monitor Your Nutrition
Another way to become more productive is to eat properly. As I have said before, I am not a doctor. But I do understand the importance of proper nutrition.
I would love to eat like that 14-year-old girl with her sugar-based cereal again. That sugar high, though will lead to a sugar crash a couple hours later for me, the NOT-14-year-old-girl.
I also know that too much pasta and/or bread make me lethargic.
Talk about unproductive.
You know what foods work best for you – do that.
For me, fruits give me a natural boost. With summer coming (YAY), that will mean early Wednesday morning starts as I head out to the farmer’s market where I grab loads of fruits and veggies to give me that natural boost.
Another trick I found is prepping food in advance to make it easy to stick to whatever plan you come up with.
It also makes for a less stressful meal-planning time each day if you have a super busy day and find yourself short on meal-prep time!
Develop a Positive Mindset
Find ways to look at the positive aspects of your life. When you have a positive mindset or outlook, it tends to strengthen your motivation.
And I get that with everything going on in the world and around you today, that it is sometimes easier said than done to keep a positive mindset.
Developing a positive mindset can help boost productivity.
One of the biggest ways I have found to stay positive is to distance myself from the news.
I have greatly reduced my time on social media. We don’t even watch the evening news, something both my husband and I grew up with with our parents. If you are reading this and you know my Dad, mum’s the word! (Wink)
Now that is not to say that we do not know what is going on in the world. We simply reduce our exposure to it all.
I have to admit, since we stopped watching and reading and listening to the news as much, both our mindsets have become much more positive!
Celebrate Your Victories
When you are successful and accomplish something, find a way to celebrate, no matter how small the victory.
One of my rewards for completing a task is (no surprise) …a fresh cup of coffee. When I am working from my colorful calendar and its time blocks, once I complete a task, I’ll refresh my cup.
This also gives me a chance to get up and stretch my back after sitting through that task so that it doesn’t put a damper on my positive energy.
Find something that motivates you. Something that will give you that motivation to complete a task. Then celebrate your win!
Segment Your Workday
Don’t work all the time. This is especially important if you work for yourself. The work never seems to end.
Set specific hours for your workday. Stick to these hours at least 80 percent of the time.
Keep in mind that being flexible is important. Sometimes working hard is going to be required, but it’s not required every single day.
I am getting better at this. And while I might have a client text me in the evening, if it’s not an emergency, it goes on my task list for the next morning (see how I tied that in from earlier?).
Well, there you have it, Gina’s coffee-induced thoughts on boosting your productivity through daily routines!
If you have some other ideas on boosting productivity or daily routines, drop them in the comments below. I would love to hear yours!
For my fellow small business owners, if you are interested in ways that working with a Freelance Administrator can help put more time in your day and boost your productivity, drop me a message over at www.GinAdmin.com/#contact.
Until next time my friends, stay safe, positive and productive!
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