Take control of your time: Actionable advice for UK Business owners

Welcome to my weekly newsletter, where I will be sharing tips and advice for UK business owners that you can actually implement in your business today. ??????

Time management is one of the biggest challenges for business owners. With endless to-do lists and constant demands, it can feel like there’s never enough time in the day. But here’s the truth: with the right strategy, you can take back control of your schedule and create the space you need to focus on growing your business.

Here’s a step-by-step plan to help you do just that:

1. Track your time visually

For one week, break your day into 30-minute segments, from when you wake up to when you go to bed. Write down exactly what you’re doing during each time block. This simple exercise might feel tedious, but it’s a game-changer.

When you visually map out your day, you’ll start to see patterns. Where is your time going? Are there low-value tasks eating up your hours? Are there gaps where productivity dips? This process gives you a clear picture of your habits and reveals opportunities to make better use of your time.

2. Identify wasted time

Once you’ve tracked your time for a week, review it with a critical eye. Ask yourself:

• Are there tasks that could be delegated to someone else?
• Can you automate repetitive activities with software or tools?
• Are you spending time on tasks that don’t directly contribute to your business goals?

For example, if you’re spending hours on admin tasks, outsourcing them could free you up to focus on sales, strategy, or growth.

3. Reallocate your time strategically

Based on your analysis, make intentional changes to your schedule:

• Prioritise high-impact activities like sales, marketing, and client work.
• Block out dedicated time for focused, uninterrupted work.
• Reduce or eliminate meetings that don’t add value.

The goal is to create space for the tasks that truly drive your business forward.

4. Hold yourself accountable

Lasting change requires accountability. Set specific goals for how you want to improve your time management. For example:

• Reduce time spent on email by 25% within two weeks.
• Delegate three recurring tasks by the end of the month.

Track your progress daily and share your goals with a coach, mentor, or colleague who can help keep you on track.

5. See results in just two weeks

By following this strategy, you’ll start seeing significant improvements in as little as two weeks. You’ll uncover wasted time, make room for growth-focused activities, and feel more in control of your day.

Your weekend challenge:

Objective: Identify the tasks that give you the most results—and eliminate or delegate the rest.

Day 1: Track Your Time (The 80/20 Approach)

1. Track your time: Take a typical day of that week, break your time into 30-minute blocks and record everything you did.
2. Identify the vital few: Look for the 20% of tasks that brought 80% of the results (e.g., client calls, strategic planning).
3. Look for time leaks: Identify the 80% of tasks that yield minimal results (e.g., unnecessary meetings, excessive emails, admin).

Day 2: Reprioritise

1. Focus on high-impact tasks: Tomorrow, block out time for the essential tasks identified in the first step.
2. Eliminate or delegate: Find at least one low-impact task you can eliminate or delegate.

By Sunday evening, you should have a clear idea of where you’re getting the best ROI for your time, and you’ll be ready to focus on what really drives business growth.