There’s no getting around it. There are only 24 hours in the day. You can try to cut the conference call by 10 minutes or shave five minutes off of your commute, but chances are, you aren’t left with sufficient time for your personal life—hobbies, exercise, quality time with the family, reading or binge-watching your favorite television show.
Most shop owners, small business leaders and entrepreneurs know this all too well because their work week probably falls in the 60+-hour range. If you are one these leaders looking to increase the amount of quality time spent on what matters the most—your time away from the office—read on for some helpful advice.
Set priorities
Setting priorities is the first step in managing the limited hours of the day. Take time to choose what’s most important to you. Once you decide what activities you wish to dedicate time to, and which of those are most important, you are ready for the next step …
Make a schedule
Stop making to-do lists, and actually schedule blocks of time to get the list done. Set appointments and block time in your calendar for family dinners, afternoons at the park, reading the newspaper or horsing around on your favorite app.
Delegate work
As the boss, it’s up to you to hire strong employees who are specialists in their fields. Don’t micromanage them. You will be wasting valuable time that could be better spent elsewhere. You might even consider outsourcing tasks that aren’t tied to revenue generation.
Unplug and check out
When you do decide to take a breather, be in the moment. Leave the phone at home (or in the other room) to help create a distraction-free zone. Let your mind be free and clear, leaving your work to-do list for later (when it’s scheduled).
Taking time to walk away from work helps you, but it helps the company, too. You’ll be more effective as a leader, more creative and more productive during work hours when you don’t let yourself burnout.
Find more helpful hints for your small business in the blog Embracing Change Helps Small Businesses Thrive, or learn why being eco-friendly can benefit your shop in the blog Set Your Business Apart From the Competition by Leveraging Green Efforts.
Find a clean electricity plan that meets your household’s needs.
Enter your ZIP code to get started.
