Like an entrepreneur, there are four pretty simple ways to make more time for yourself.

 Like an entrepreneur, there are four pretty simple ways to make more time for yourself.

When you're a business owner — especially if you're a solopreneur — time truly is money. Unfortunately, owning a business may be extremely demanding, leaving you feeling as if you're being tugged in a million different ways at the same time.

 

If you're continuously working late but still don't feel like you're getting everything done, it's clear that something has to change. Being constantly pressed for time is stressful enough to cause burnout.

 

Plus, it's a solid indicator you're not making the best use of your time. Fortunately, you can get more done without feeling overwhelmed by employing a few easy time-management techniques.

 

1. Increase your focus by setting aside time.

Many solopreneurs make the mistake of attempting to multitask in order to stay ahead of their projects. In practice, this almost always backfires. As you transition from one activity to another and back, multitasking leads you to lose attention.

 

If you divide your focus, you're more prone to make costly mistakes. In the end, you'll take longer to complete your chores and possibly do a poor job.

 

I've discovered that blocking off time and giving each activity on my to-do list laser attention for a defined length of time is one of the greatest strategies to avoid this trap. Set aside 25 to 30 minutes to focus entirely on a single job, such as creating a client proposal or completing a project.

You're not going to check your email, social media, or anything else during this period.

 

After the "block" is completed, take a short rest before beginning a new "block." You may make the most of each hour of the day by using this strategy to eliminate distractions.

 

 

2. Make More Use of Technology

As a business owner, you probably already utilize a lot of technology. In fact, it's likely that more than half of freelancers work totally online.

 

Of course, simply because you're utilizing technology doesn't guarantee you're doing it in a way that saves you time. Instead than utilizing technology as a source of distraction (hello, social media), an ever-growing set of tools allows you to automate a bigger percentage of your job than ever before.

 

There are digital tools and applications for just about everything, from automating bill payments and invoicing to scheduling social media postings, organizing calendar appointments, and facilitating communication with customers and other contractors.

 

I'm not suggesting that you utilize every tool available, but choosing the correct automation tools can help you save time on routine, important chores.

 

3. Learn To Appreciate Delegation And Outsourcing

But what about chores that demand a little more thought and attention than just putting in numbers? As an entrepreneur, you must allow outsourcing and delegation to become your allies in this situation.

During a recent meeting with Daniel Mitchell, the CEO and Founder of Alt-Tech, this became extremely evident. "There are certain areas, like as managing IT systems, where the ordinary entrepreneur just lacks the know-how to manage everything," he stated. Attempting to accomplish this on your own is not only stressful, but it also puts your company at danger. This and other activities may be delegated to experienced specialists who specialize in these areas, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on their core competencies."

Outsourcing and delegation will help you get the job done quickly and efficiently, whether you employ freelancers for occasional project help or contract with another firm to manage back office duties for you. Even more crucial, you can trust that the project will be completed correctly the first time.

 

4. Set 'Time Thieves' Limits

We like to speak about how major time-wasters like Facebook and Instagram are in an entrepreneur's day, but they might pale in contrast to unforeseen business tasks that eat up your time. Last-minute meeting requests, unexpected phone calls, and other work-related interruptions can break your attention and take up far too much of your time.

 

If you don't keep track, you can find yourself spending more time on teleconferences than on genuine client work.

 

Make a strategy for how you'll deal with these interruptions to put an end to the situation. Consider turning off your phone and setting other communication applications to "do not disturb" when you need to focus on a task.

One may also establish ground rules to reduce the amount of time these time thieves take away from your day. It will be much simpler to stay on track if you limit yourself to five to ten minutes each phone conversation or only allow one unexpected appointment per day. Setting clear limits and remembering to say "no" when necessary can help you avoid wasting time.

 

Master your time, and you'll be able to master your career.

You can't always control how your day unfolds, but with some forethought and effective use of the resources at your disposal, you can be assured that you'll have enough time to do what you need to do in any given week.

 

You'll be able to work smarter and have a healthier work-life balance if you use these techniques to make more time for yourself.