Are you wasting your time each day?
I fully believe that multitasking is a myth, in fact it is a lie that has been told to us. Almost as if multitasking makes you super human. Whereas the truth is you are not “multitasking” you are in fact “task switching:, you are switching your focus from one task to another. The result is neither task receives the attention it deserves. Switching from one task to the next uses more energy than concentrating on one task at a time. Each time you switch a task you have to refocus, your brain has to switch gears if you will onto the new task at hand.
According to psychologist Clifford Nass, โPeople who multitask all the time canโt filter out irrelevancy. They canโt manage a working memory. Theyโre chronically distracted. They initiate much larger parts of their brain that are irrelevant to the task at hand.โ
If you are finding you never have time to work on or in your business, could it be you are wasting some of your time?
Wasting your time examples
- Choosing to do house work before you start any business tasks. Why are your prioritising this? Do it later when finished for the day.
- Not setting boundaries with family. You wouldn’t allow your mum to pop in for a tea and gossip if you worked in the city, so why are you accepting it when working from home?
- Answering emails and messages as they come in when you are working on a project with a deadline
- Slipping into perfectionism instead of “getting it done”
- Being unintentional with what networking events to attend, can you afford a whole morning out of the office?
- Browsing social media posts endlessly for inspiration
Did you know that focussing on one task at a time helps us remain 80% more productive?
I am not going to talk to you about time blocking, procrastination or staying in your zone of genius all of which can help you become more productive. Links to previous articles can be found below this post. Instead I would like to concentrate on helping those of you who are working elsewhere whilst growing your business or juggling family commitments.
How to manage time if you are employed elsewhere
Many entrepreneurs start their business whilst employed elsewhere, which is normal and understandable. This does mean you may have less time than your competitor. So how can you grow your business with limited time?
Acknowledge you canโt compare your journey to those that work on their business full-time. Be super strict with your schedule, how can you dedicate time to work ON your business? Think of the goals needed to grow your business and be intentional, you do not have endless time to waste on unnecessary tasks and you especially can’t adopt a perfectionism mindset!
Do you have time on a commute to answer emails or post on social media? If using public transport this is a fantastic opportunity to clear some of your tasks, write captions for social media, create graphics in canva or even draft ideas for blogging. You can also use this time to message clients or respond to enquiries.
Or what about time at home in the morning? Lets suppose you donโt have to leave the house till 8am and it only takes you an hour to get ready. What about scheduling 6-7am to work on your business? So much can be achieved with dedicated commitment. Now I do not want you to spend 6am โ 11pm just working, it’s more about creating a daily habit to work on your business each day. Little and often is better than nothing for a week than cramming it into a weekend. Ensure you have time for you and loved ones, downtime is so important for your mental health which is why a small amount each day gives you that downtime needed.
Just imagine what can be achieved with 60 minutes a day? If we assume you are working 48 weeks in a year this equates to 240 hours / 30 working days (8 hours in a working day). What could you do with this time available? Imagine how your productivity would increase.
Adopt done is better than perfect method, you do not have time to sit there and agonise over every tiny detail. Get it done to a good standard because the chances are this is considered perfect by others. Constantly tweaking will result in you never finishing or launching “the thing”. Be intentional with what you are doing and do not WASTE your time on tasks that will not grow your business.
Do not try to do everything, scrap unnecessary tasks or outsource. I talk more about this in the zone of genius article.
Be patient, it may take longer to reach a level whereby you can leave your employment, but you will get there. I cannot tell you how many business owners Iโve trained or mentored that juggled both until the business could sustain them with a wage
How to manage time as a parent entrepreneur
Iโve bought 3 children up whilst running multiple businesses and this is what worked for me. I want to remind you comparing yourself to others is pointless, you donโt know their journey. You may see someone and feel they are superwoman but perhaps they have a nanny? Maybe they only take minimal clients on each year so they have more time? If you find yourself slipping into imposter syndrome purchase my Business Mindset Shift
Remember you canโt be a perfect partner, mother and housewife. Something has to give. Is cleaning your home right now more important than your business? Where do your priorities lay? It is not unusual for breakfast items to still be on the worktop at 3pm, when children arrived home from school that is when I loaded the dishwasher and cleaned the kitchen. I used school hours to work, that was my priority in order to scale my businesses.
Do others expect too much from you? Your church, PTA, friends etc. Realise that in order to grow your business you need to prioritise it, not above family but certainly above some of the day to day tasks. There can be a tendency for others to belittle what you do as a “nice little hobby” and do not acknowledge they are potentially wasting your time and taking you away from business. This is not acceptable, do not allow others to dismiss you, your talent nor your dreams.
Set rules and boundaries for family and friends. My children were bought up not to interrupt if I was on the phone or later years โtalking to my computer on a liveโ. I am fortunate to have an office with a glass door so they could look before entering to chat with me. In later years though my daughter would sometimes come say hello if I was on a call with my own coach or UKAWP members. Seeing what mummy does is actually really good for them, especially recognising not all careers are what they perhaps see on TV or read about. Being shown the entrepreneural world at a young age is really good for them in my opinion.
When you switch off for the day be fully present with family, donโt be scrolling on social media. BE with them. Donโt schedule calls when children are just home from school. Personally I tend not to have calls past 3pm even though my youngest is now 14, it’s just a rule I set from the very start. In the holidays schedule time with children, half a day or a full day. Again be fully present. When older take them with you. All 3 of mine have worked with me at events setting it up, on the day and clear down.
We all have families, and sometimes you have to remind yourself that your family is part of your why in terms of starting your business in the first place. Set a schedule that works for you and your family to include: home schooling, nursery/school drop offs, nap time.
If you are struggling with time in your business and would like my support in creating a strategy for your growth, book a free call below.
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