What are some tips for managing your time as a self-employed professional?

Planning is critical! I love the Ivy Lee method where you plan the day before so when you sit down to get into work you are focused and ready to go. It also makes a big difference to sit down with my business partner and plan the week ahead so we are clear in what needs to be done and expectations are clear.

Time is currency as much as revenue in so make sure you use it wisely. Know what you can do and do not try to do things you can't (finance, IT, marketing). If you need assistance, there are virtual assistants out there to help manage your time. I always blocked off Fridays to get my tasks for the week done as it is important to recharge and connect with your family and friend on the weekend.

Planning a week has been a game-changer for all of us. It not only helps to stay organized but also gives us a clear roadmap for what needs to be done. Plus, it minimizes those last-minute stressors and allows us to tackle each task with more efficiency.

What is draining your energy? Answering this question and figuring out how to eliminate or minimize the things that are sapping your energy are critical to managing and optimizing your time. Sometimes this means changing your interactions with people that are sapping your energy. Be honest with yourselves about who and what are draining you--even when the answers are uncomfortable.

In planning ahead, I've found that it's helpful to block off work time on my calendar with specific goals, travel time and personal tasks. This gives you a true sense of the time you have.

I've learned to set boundaries by not over-scheduling myself. I limit the number of mentoring calls per week, try to schedule my networking calls during times I know I'm not the most productive, and also set my calendar link so folks can't book time with less than 48 hours in advance. This helps me to preserve time for work and personal matters.

Define clear boundaries for your work hours and communicate them to clients, collaborators, and even yourself. Clearly articulate expectations regarding response times, project timelines, and deliverables. Establishing these boundaries not only helps manage your workload but also fosters a healthier work-life balance, reducing the risk of burnout.

My clients are always amazed at how much I'm able to squeeze into a 24 hour cycle. Two technique that I encourage is working in your flow cycle and chunking. In other words, pursue challenging tasks during your peak-performance times. Additionally, allocate chunks of time throughout the day to respond to emails or social media posts to prevent brain hacking distractions.

We have 1440 in our day. How we invest those is the question. One effective technique is to stay true to our strategic plan, vision, mission, and values, and ask ourselves, "Will this meeting, project, zoom, activity, email, call, align with them?", yes or no. If yes, do it. If no, don't. Self-referee those precious minutes.

Soloprenuers may be hesitant to act for help. Don't be afraid to hire a VA to help you manage the repetitive tasks. They often have expertise you don't, and provide a second set of eyes, if needed. Outsourcing certain tasks may cost money, but look at your bill rate. How much money are you losing if you keep doing repeatable tasks? Use tools that allow you to automate tasks and spend the time to create workflows. Then use the tools to help you streamline workflows. Systems will save you time and energy!

Identify repetitive and time-consuming tasks that can be automated using tools and software. Explore project management tools, communication platforms, and other technologies that can streamline your workflow. Additionally, delegate tasks that fall outside your expertise or are better handled by others. This strategic delegation frees up your time for more critical aspects of your business.

One big lesson is to schedule 10-15 minutes between meetings and to specifically schedule time to eat and walk away from the computer. This time helps to recharge you so that you are at your best when you are on.

Obviously I'm hugely in favour of taking breaks and recharging, but try to find something that you enjoy doing. This could be rewarding yourself with a walk outside with your favourite music, a run through the park of maybe enjoying a nice snack. The thing is that you'll often find your Recharge time being washed out of your calendar. Knowing that you can use this time to do something you enjoy will definitely increase you chances of keeping these crucial moments alive!

Recognize the importance of regular breaks to maintain focus and overall well-being. Schedule short breaks during your workday to stretch, walk, or engage in activities that help you recharge. Additionally, allocate longer breaks to step away from work entirely. Taking these breaks not only refreshes your mind but also enhances productivity and creativity when you return to your tasks.

Reflection is critical to a growth mindset. On Fridays, block time on your calendar to reflect on your week. Review what went well, what needs improvement, what you learned and what you're grateful for. Then, use that energy to intentionally plan your next week with those learnings in mind.

It's funny, if you compare our work to top sports (which it is nowadays, let's be honest), we spend all our time in the game and hardly any in practice or reflection, whereas with top athletes spend almost all their time practicing and taking a lot of time for reflection to improve their performance. I respect we cannot be practicing all day, but taking more time for reflection would definitely improve our overall performance!

Set aside dedicated time regularly to review your progress and reflect on your business goals. Assess the effectiveness of your strategies, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate achievements. This practice of continuous review and reflection ensures that you stay aligned with your objectives and allows for informed decision-making in your self-employed venture.

Continue to network, learn and grow. Make a list of the top 5 books you want to read. Then ensure you're scheduling time to do it. Have a skill you want to learn? Take a course. Whatever you do, ensure that you continue to learn and grow. And do this by scheduling time weekly. Even if it's one hour a week, it is critical to your business.

Prioritize your professional development by actively seeking opportunities to learn and grow. Stay updated on industry trends, explore new technologies, and invest in relevant courses or workshops. Networking with peers and industry professionals also provides valuable insights. The commitment to ongoing learning positions you as a dynamic and competitive self-employed professional, contributing to the long-term success of your business.

Create an energy map. It is map of your energy through the day. On that map you can identify your energy drainers and energy enhancers. Your energy enhancers are spaces where you are learning, growing, contributing, simply being at ease and immense expansion. These you must continue and invest into more and more. It is also the space of business development. Your energy drainers are the space of lack of boundaries, lack of planning, not speaking your truth, not keeping your words and all that which is shrinking you and your energy. You must address these spaces for reclaiming your energy from these spaces by making a shift. Working on your energy will make your more creative, full of energy to get more done being master of time

Stop saying no! We have all these trainings and strategies around saying no to things. But you're bound to end up focusing on all these things you need to say no to. Instead find out and clarify your goals, so you know exactly what you say YES to. This will leave out the need to say no. Hence you focus is on the positive instead of the negative. Feels a lot better as well ;)

It's easy to fall victim to the "tyranny of the urgent." When setting boundaries, knowing the value of your time and how to organize your priorities is key. Take a moment to evaluate each priority, especially as they come in, using Stephen Covey's Four Quadrants of Time. Quadrant 1: Urgent and important. Quadrant 2: Not urgent but important. Quadrant 3: Urgent but not important. Quadrant 4: Not urgent and not important. By evaluating each priority in real-time, you'll be in command of your time and will be able to prioritize effectively without letting others dictate your schedule.

Set clear goals, prioritize tasks, and use productivity tools. Create a schedule, limit distractions, and batch similar tasks. Delegate when possible and practice the Pomodoro Technique. Set realistic deadlines, regularly review and adjust strategies. Learn to say no and outsource non-core tasks. Utilize time tracking, invest in continuous learning, and balance work and personal life. Take regular breaks, practice mindfulness, and evaluate time investments. Celebrate achievements to stay motivated and maintain productivity.

Something to consider is discipline.Incorporating simple everyday life rituals can provide a solid structure for self-employed individuals. For instance, a morning routine that includes planning tasks for the day, followed by the act of changing into work attire, can serve as a powerful ritual. This ritual signifies the start of the workday and helps in cultivating a focused and disciplined mindset. Such small practices contribute to an effective daily structure, enhancing productivity and well-being for those who are self-employed.