Today we will explore the importance of time management skills for online entrepreneurs.
If you’ve resolved to work smarter, stop procrastinating, and be more productive, your regular work routine may have already subverted your best intentions.
When it comes to changing the way you do your work to improve your productivity, you may stumble with roadblocks because your current processes have become a habit. Let’s fix that shall we?
Welcome to Fearless Affiliate.
My name is Irma and I help new bloggers to learn the ropes. There is a lot to take in that first year of blogging, from choosing a niche to changing your mindset from worker bee mentality to that of successful entrepreneur.
I like to focus on practical information and positive thinking, so if that sounds good to you please sign up for my weekly newsletter of tips and help for bloggers and online marketers.
Be sure to grab your copy of 5 Minute Guide to Internet Marketing Success guide. Once you have read through this guide, your will have tons of ideas for an online business that will help you earn extra cash or even full-time income!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure is here.
Effective Time Management Skills Beginners Need to Learn
The biggest mistake you can make when it comes to time management and productivity is that you continue to use your time for activities that are not worth it.
Return on investment means getting the biggest bang for the buck and that includes your time, which is valuable.
Learning skills that improve time managment and getting more things done that earn you money are top priority. Try these productivity tips to get more done in less time.
Use the 15-Minute Rule
Jason Womack, a workplace performance expert, suggest you organize your workday into 15-minute chunks.
If you give yourself a typical eight hour work day schedule, that gives you 32, 15-minute chunks.
The reason why 15-minute pieces are so useful is that it’s long enough to get something done, even if it is just writing a content outline.
Know When You’re Done
If you set an intention to work on something, and you give yourself more time than your task required, stop and move on. For many people, if you give yourself an hour to do something, it will take the entire hour. It is how our brains are wired.
Start paying attention to whether you give tasks more time than they should take to complete.
When you are working on a task, you need to ask yourself the question, “Am I done?”
For instance, if you are reading a non-fiction book, you’re done once you’ve learned something from the author that you didn’t know before.
Eliminate Distractions
While eliminating distractions isn’t a new or novel idea when it comes to time management skills, avoiding specific distractions is hugely important.
If you are new to working at home, you may not be used to being the one in charge and deciding how your day is spent. It is easy to fall into a trap of spending way too much time reading emails or just procrastinating in general.
Figure out when you are most productive, and get your important tasks done during that time of day.
Use your less productive time to check email, watch instructional videos or scan a new course.
Identify Verbs that Need Attention
Organize your to-do list around verbs like, call, draft, prepare, schedule, review.
These kind of tasks are generally ones that you can complete in a single sitting, and that will help to move your larger projects forward.
If you have big-picture verbs on your list, like plan, discuss, create, and implement, try to replace them with actionable steps that will break down your more massive project into more manageable tasks.
Becoming more productive means that you need to manage your time effectively.
The Importance of Time Management Skills
Time Management Skills to Learn and Practice
When it comes to productivity, everyone faces the same challenge; there are only 24 hours in a day.
However, some people seem to have twice that amount of time and an uncanny ability to get things done. They can reach their goals without fail.
The importance of time management skills means creating systems that become habits, so that you are always productive.
Never Touch Things Twice
People who are highly productive, never put anything in a holding pattern, because touching things more than once is a massive waste of time.
Don’t save a phone call or email to deal with later.
As soon as something grabs your attention you need to either act on it, delegate it, or delete it.
Plan for the Next Day Before Quit for the Day
Highly productive people end their day by preparing for the next.
This accomplishes two things.
First, it helps you to solidify what you’ve accomplished, and then it ensures you’ll have a productive tomorrow.
It’s the perfect way to end your workday and only takes a few minutes of your time.
Say No
Ultra-productive people aren’t afraid to say no.
When you can say no to a new commitment, you are honoring your existing obligations and giving yourself the opportunity to fulfill them successfully.
Learning to say no will reduce stress, decrease burnout, and eliminate depression while increasing your productivity.
Have a Designated Time to Check Email
People who are productive don’t allow their email to become a constant interruption.
Along with only checking their email on a schedule, they take advantage of features that prioritize their messages by sender.
They set alerts for their best customers and most important vendors, and they save the rest until they can reach a stopping point.
Avoid Multitasking
People who tend to multitask have more trouble organizing their thoughts and filtering out information that is irrelevant, making them slower at switching from one task to another.
Highly productive people know that multitasking is a productivity killer and avoid doing it at all costs.
Put Technology to Work for Them
While technology catches a lot of flak for being a huge distraction, it can also help you focus.
Productive people learn how to put technology to work for them.
Along with setting up email filters to sort and prioritize messages, they also use productivity apps to set up alerts on their smartphones.
Conclusion
I hope that you have enjoyed this post and found it helpful. Implementing these strategies into your daily activities will help you become more productive and find that extra edge in your life.
If you keep improving your time management, you will naturally create your own roadmap to save time and get a better return on the investment of your time.
If you want to know more about internet marketing, get your copy of my 5 Minute Guide to Internet Marketing Success guide. It is full of helpful information on what Internet Marketing is all about.
Please share with others…sharing is caring! Let me know in the comments how these tips work for you! Until next time, happy blogging and follow me on Pinterest!
-Irma 🙂
