Time Management Skills Successful Business Owners Must Have

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Time. It’s something that we all take for granted. But, as a business owner, it’s your greatest resource. Without enough time, you’re less likely to achieve your goals. You won’t be able to focus on what’s really important. Less time — adds stress to your already hectic life. And, you can kiss a healthy work-life balance goodbye without it. Here are the time management skills a successful business owner must have.

For the business owner — here are the essential time management skills that you will want to possess.

Work the hours that suit you.

Here’s one of the best things about being your own boss. You can work whenever you want. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can slack off or just come and go as you please. What this means is that you aren’t forced to work that 9-to-5 schedule if it doesn’t fit you well.

For example, let’s say that you’re a parent. Your working hours could be when your children are in school, let’s say around 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. When they’re doing their homework, you could then use that time for administrative tasks or reviewing your calendar for tomorrow.

Another option would be to work around your energy levels. If you’re a morning person, then knock out your most essential tasks bright and early when you have the most energy. Night owls, on the other hand, are more productive in the late morning or afternoon.

What’s more, well have our own ultradian rhythms — which are the body’s rest-activity cycle. But, for most of us, that means that we can only focus for 90 to 120 minutes before we need to take a break.

Keep a time log.

Want to get more done? Then keep a time log so that you can see how you’re spending your time. Additionally, time logging will let you know what your biggest time-wasters are. It will keep you from over-or-underestimating how long certain things take down the road. And, tracking your time encourages you to stop multitasking and hold yourself accountable.

There are actually a couple of ways that you can conduct a time audit. The first would be to track everything that you do throughout the day, such as your morning commute or the time spent on a specific task.

The other way would be to set a timer for every 15 minutes. When the time is up, write down what you did during that block of time.

You could also use time tracking apps and tools like Toggl, RescueTime, or Timely to keep tabs on your digital usage.

Focus on what you do best.

“As much as you need a strong personality to build a business from scratch, you also must understand the art of delegation,” Richard Branson once said. “I have to be good at helping people run the individual businesses, and I have to be willing to step back,” he added. “The company must be set up so it can continue without me.”

When you stop trying to do everything on your own, you’ll not only free up your valuable time. You’ll also make more money. That’s because you have the right people working on the right tasks.

For instance, even if you’re familiar with the basics of accounting or coding, you’re going to spend more time on these tasks, then an expert would. And, you’re more likely to make a costly mistake.

Implement the Two-Minute Rule.

In the famous words of David Allen, “If it takes less than two minutes, then do it now.” Sounds simple, but think of all of those small things that add up. Instead of taking a minute to respond to an email, you wait until the end of the day when your inbox is overflowing. That dish you didn’t wash after lunch? It becomes a dish full of dirty plates.

Furthermore, this rule helps you form new habits. And, most importantly, it can help overcome procrastination. As an example, instead of declaring that you want to read more, start with a small goal like read one page daily.

“The idea is to make your habits as easy as possible to start,” says James Clear. “Anyone can meditate for one minute, read one page, or put one item of clothing away. And, as we have just discussed, this is a powerful strategy because once you’ve started doing the right thing, it is much easier to continue doing it.”

Break your activities down into simple problems.

“Utilizing your consciousness requires more energy and can be avoided by simplifying your problems,” writes Mario Peshev for Entrepreneur. “Excellence in time management revolves around establishing a process and breaking it down into small, atomic operations that are easy to grasp and don’t require intensive resource consumption.” Cutting down your resource consumption is what makes business owners successful. They’re able to take a “complex task and decompose it into pieces, thus making the remaining process easier to comprehend and follow,” adds Peshev. “The simple operations are simple, and executing them doesn’t require dozens of follow-up questions preventing you from checking tasks off your list.”

Don’t fall into the urgency trap.

As a business owner, you have a lot of responsibilities. To make sure that you achieve them, you need to have a system in place. For me, that’s writing down my to-do-list and adding the most important items to my calendar. It’s a simple and effective tactic to make sure that I don’t forget to do anything. And, it allows me to block out time for these actions, so I don’t schedule something else.

Here’s the problem, though. With so many things to do and so little amount of time to get to them — which tasks do I start with? Well, that depends on your specific priorities. These are usually the activities that move you closer to your goals or have a date attached to them. So, your top priorities should always be scheduled first and come before everything else.

Unfortunately, a lot of us get sidetracked by things that are less important — even though they seem deserving of your time and energy. Eventually, your time management and productivity suffer — which is never good for business.

To avoid this, don’t fall into the urgency trap. Identify which items you must do, defer, delegate, and drop. Stick to listing no more than crucial tasks for the day. And focus on your priorities when you have the most energy.

Schedule “me” time.

Scheduling “me time” isn’t a waste of time. Me-time may turn out to be your secret weapon against stress and lack of focus. The more you add to your schedule, the busier you’ll get. Over time you’ll be burning your candle at both ends. As a result, you’ll become burned more. Or, even worse, you’ll be putting your mental and physical health in peril.

Always schedule free time in your day. It doesn’t have to be much. But, if you have an hour of blocked time throughout the day where nothing is listed on your schedule — it can do wonders for you mentally and physically. After all, free time makes us happy, encourages self-care, adds flexibility in our calendars, and recharges our batteries.

Cluster similar tasks.

Switching between tasks all day isn’t practical. It’s chaotic and encourages us to multitask. Think about it. You respond to an email, then rush out the door to speak with a supplier, and then come back to file paperwork. And, in between all that, you have to attend to any problems that your customers or employees are experiencing.

As opposed to jumping all over the place, organize your day by blocking similar tasks together. For example, block out a specific time to clean out your inbox and return call, another to file paperwork, and one more for problem-solving. Depending on your business, you may also need to box out time for meetings, checking your inventory, or testing your products.

Identify and eliminate distractions.

Distractions are the leading cause of poor time management. But, how can you remove them when they’re constantly screaming for your attention?

One way would be to keep a distraction log. It can be as simple as a piece of paper or Word Doc, where you jot down what interrupted you from work and when. For instance, if an employee takes a break at about 10:30 a.m., they may stop by your office to chat with you. The problem is that this is when you don’t want to be disturbed. To correct this, either take a break around the same time or close your office door.

You can also eliminate distractions by putting your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode, installing tools that block distracting websites, or scheduling check-ins or phone calls instead of taking them when you have something else planned.

Arm yourself with the right tools.

Finally, surround yourself with the right tools. An online calendar is an obvious choice. But, you may also want to use a tool like Calendar to automate all of your scheduling needs. Evernote and Todoist care useful for managing your tasks. While Hootsuite, Pardot, and Xero can put your social media, email marketing, and accounting in autopilot.

By using these tools to automate your most tedious and redundant tasks, you’ll have the availability to focus on your priorities.

How Far Is Too Far Out to Schedule Appointments?

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Imagine if someone wanted to schedule an appointment with your company 10 years into the future. You’d probably laugh it off. A lot can change in a decade. 

That may seem like a wild scenario, but the underlying question is an important one: How far is too far into the future to schedule client appointments?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. Just because your scheduling software lets you book years in advance doesn’t necessarily mean you should. 

So how can you decide on a cutoff? Maximize your scheduling software by asking yourself the following questions: 

1. What are the limits of my tools?

Before you can even think about customer preferences, know the limitations of your scheduling tools. 

How do you attract clients? What about booking their appointments? And how do you send out reminders and handle change requests?

Although some platforms can do it all, many can’t. In each program, click as far as you can into the future. When you can’t go any further, you know how far into the future you can schedule appointments.

What if it’s not as far as you’d like? Start searching for a program that can meet your needs. 

2. Is there customer demand?

Everything you do — including how you schedule appointments — should be based on what your clients want. If customers like things as they are, there’s no reason to switch things up. But if they want the ability to schedule sessions further out, then give them what they want. 

When it comes to scheduling, beware that customers won’t always tell you their issues. They may not even know that they have a say in your scheduling practices. 

In order to figure out what they might want, check out your appointment management platform. How far in advance does the average customer book their appointment? What about the fifth and ninety-fifth percentiles? Try to accommodate even your pickiest customers. 

Just as importantly, ask them directly for feedback. Soliciting feedback can come in the form of an email, a text message, a survey, or a conversation. 

However you do it, check back in after you set new booking parameters: Do your customers appreciate the changes?

3. Does it make sense with my business model? 

Scheduling appointments far in advance makes more sense for some businesses than others. Consider where you fall in the range of companies that typically use appointment scheduling software:

  • Call centers would likely want to confine appointments to a shorter time frame.
  • Event planners and caterers would likely prefer to schedule far in advance.
  • Academic advising appointments make sense to schedule within the semester.
  • Dentists and doctor’s offices may prefer to schedule checkups 12-16 months in advance.

When in doubt, learn what’s typical for your industry. Ask partners how far in advance they book appointments.

You don’t necessarily have to do what your competitors are doing, though. If you discover nobody is booking appointments a year out, maybe it could be your competitive advantage. Do what will set your brand apart without hamstringing your team. 

4. What does my customer volume look like?

The limits you place on far-ahead scheduling depend on how many people are booking appointments. If there’s always an opening on a given day, then there may be no reason to schedule something a year or two in advance.

If there’s a high volume, though, open up your appointment schedule. You may have heard of restaurants that have reservations years in advance. The reason is probably their popularity: People simply need to wait that long in order to get a table. 

Booking appointments far in advance can create a sense of exclusivity. If that’s your strategy, however, do your best to cater to people who would prefer to be served sooner. 

5. How far ahead has my business planned?

Your company calendar will be a big factor in how far ahead customers can schedule appointments. If you have a ton of new initiatives in the works for next quarter, then it may not be a good idea to book it up already.

Remember, customer expectations should be set at the time of booking. If you know your service offerings are going to change, then it’s probably best to shut off bookings past that period. 

Another way to think about this is based on the season. Your company may see a surge in clients in one season and a drastic decrease in another. If that’s the case for your company, you can prepare for the busy season by getting appointments booked far ahead. 

6. What are my goals for recurring clients?

Some businesses automatically schedule recurring clients after their most recent appointment. A dentist’s office, for example, typically schedules clients every 6 months. That kind of schedule can get customers into a rhythm. 

Some people prefer to plan in advance, while others like to live by the seat of their pants. Some are more diligent than others about keeping appointments. Others tend to go with the flow. 

Extending your scheduling horizon can help you accommodate all types of clients. Your stricter customers will like having something locked in, and you’ll still have space available for those who like to book at the last minute. 

Appointments are a juggling act. There are pros and cons to scheduling things far out, just as there are for short-term scheduling. Let your customers guide you, and you’ll make the right call more often than not. 

101 Time Management Tips to Make You the Most Productive Boss Ever

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If you want to be the boss, then you need to start acting, thinking, and becoming the boss. Guess what? That takes more than a title or corner office. It’s about being a role model, as well as someone dependable and trustworthy. And, that starts with being as productive as possible.

Becoming the boss is not possible without proper time management.

Here are 101 tips that will help every leader master their time management skills so that they can become the most productive boss ever.

1. Plan your itinerary.

Wait. Isn’t this supposed to be about productivity and not travel tips? You’re right. But, like traveling, time management involves a lot of planning.

You need to know how you’re getting to your destination, what to pack, and the dates that you’ll be gone. You also need to consider lodging and what you plan on doing. I mean, there’s a vast difference between speaking at an industry event in Chicago during January and sitting on a beach in the Caribbean.

Before doing anything else, plan your productivity itinerary by:

  • Establishing realistic goals.
  • Identifying the steps you need to get to get you there.
  • Setting clear expectations.
  • Knowing your priorities and when they need to get done.
  • Anticipating possible roadblocks
  • Surrounding yourself with the right tools and resources.

2. Stop saying that there isn’t enough time.

Eliminate this phrase from your vocabulary.

“Running out of time is mostly a euphemism, and the smart analyst realizes that it’s a message about something else,” Seth Godin wrote on his blog. “Time is finite, but, unlike money, time is also replenished every second.”

“The people you’re trying to reach are always recalibrating which meetings they go to, which shows they watch, which books they don’t read,” wrote Seth. “The solution has nothing to do with giving people more time (you can’t) and everything to do with creating more urgency, more of an itch, more desire.”

3. Establish a consistent morning routine.

What do Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, and Oprah Winfrey all have in common? Sure. They’re all super successful. But, they also all have a consistent morning routine.

You don’t have to follow their exact morning rituals. But, you should create one that encourages you to have a more productive day. For example, waking-up 30-minutes earlier so that you’re not rushing out the door. You can even use this extra time to squeeze in a workout and eat a nutritious breakfast. It’s a simple yet effective, way to start the day on the right foot while giving you the energy to remain productive throughout the day.

4. Do your heavy lifting in the morning.

You that the one thing that needs to get done today? Or, how about the task that you’re dreading the most? Knock it out first thing in the morning. The reason? We usually have the most focus and energy in the AM. Plus, it builds momentum for the rest of the day. And, best of all, it won’t be hanging over your head for the remainder of the day.

5. Manage your attention, not your schedule.

Chris Bailey, the author of Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction, has found that managing time isn’t a problem. It’s managing our attention.

According to Baily, this is because of distractions — which aren’t our fault. The key is to take back control of these interruptions. Instead of letting minor disturbances, like email notifications, accumulate, we should focus more on things that are productive and meaningful.

“We get more done, dive deeper into our experiences, and notice more meaning around us because we process the world with greater intention,” he writes. “We stop allowing our devices to interrupt us every 40 seconds. And we feel more in control of our lives because we take control of each moment.”

6. Get organized.

The time wasted looking for a misplaced item could have been spent completing a task. Tidy up your workspace and keep it organized. That means whenever you’re done using something, put it back where it belongs.

I’d also set aside a time, like on a Friday afternoon, to do more of your heavy cleaning.

7. Recognize multitasking traps.

Stop multitasking! It’s not only impossible, but it’s also a colossal time-waster. Mainly, this is because you are dividing your attention between tasks. The better option is to focus on one thing at a time.

8. Work the hours that are best for you.

Unless you’re under the control of a Sith overlord, you can set your own schedule. Use this to your advantage by working on high priority and challenging tasks when you’re most productive.

Additionally, create a schedule that can help you avoid distractions and achieve work-life balance. For example, consider going into work as soon as your kids are off school. The office will be quiet enough for you not to get distracted. And, you can even leave early so that you can spend time with your kids.

9. Play to your strengths.

Don’t waste your time on activities where you’re not knowledgeable or experienced. It would take you twice as long, if not more, than if an expert handled them. Just stay within your wheelhouse.

10. Follow the 52:17 rule.

Research from DeskTime has found that the most productive people work for 52-minutes and then take a 17-minute break.

11. Chunk up your week.

“I like to chunk up my workweek into similar tasks on the same day because it makes me much more productive,” says Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran.

“As past behavior is usually the best predictor of future behavior, I find it helpful to sit down each year with my previous year’s calendar in hand. I try to identify repetitive work patterns to help me anticipate work and chunk up my tasks more effectively.”

12. Pursue activities that benefit you personally and professionally.

“Align your professional and personal goals for maximum efficiency.” – Chris Guillebeau

Let’s say that you’ve always wanted to learn a new language. But, instead of just learning any language, why not invest the time in becoming fluent in a language that can benefit you professionally? For example, if you have a speaking gig or plan to expand business in Portugal, then it learning Portuguese would be a good use of your time.

13. Keep a diary or journal.

If you haven’t done so yet, invest a diary or journal. Trust me; it will be money well spent as you can use it to track your time, jot down reminders, and write what you’re grateful for.

14. Focus on outcomes.

To-do-lists and a rigid schedule can come in handy. Both, after all, ensure that you don’t forget about anything of importance. But, they can also stifle creativity.

What does that have to do with productivity? Well, creativity increases neuropathways. In turn, this allows you to “adapt to new situations leading to new ideas, new thoughts, and yes, new solutions.”

15. Solicit feedback.

The thought of receiving feedback can make some of us cringe. In reality, it’s one of the best ways to learn, grow, and improve.

For example, maybe the person-in-charge of your executive calendar notices that you spend way too much time in meetings. If you asked them how you could improve your time management,m then they may suggest to cut back on these types of meetings.

16. Implement the two-minute rule.

Apply “Getting Things Done” author David Allen’s “Two-Minute Rule” to your menial tasks, like responding to emails. If it takes less then two minutes, do it so that it’s out of the way. If not, these small tasks will accumulate and become an overwhelming and time-draining chore.

17. Know when your plate is too full.

Be real with how much you can accomplish in a specific time. If you’re already working at full capacity and your calendar is booked solid for the next month, then don’t accept any more work or meeting invites.

18. Break-up with your bad habits.

Not all breaks-up are bad. Case in point, those that are unhealthy and toxic. I’m talking about neglecting your health, procrastinating, and allowing yourself to get distracted. Eliminate them from your life and embrace healthy habits that will enhance your energy and productivity.

19. Trust “The Process.”

I wish I were talking about the 76ers here. But, it’s a philosophy used by Nick Saban — who just so happens to be one of the greatest coaches in college football history.

He doesn’t have his players focus on winning the championship. Instead, he encourages them to: “Think about what you needed to do in this drill, on this play, in this moment. That’s the process: Let’s think about what we can do today, the task at hand.”

20. Keep a “no thanks” list.

Developed by LinkedIn Influencer Beth Kanter, a “No Thanks” Journal is where you note the situations where you declined a time request.

“Writing it down and reflecting on it regularly not only gave me the words to say “no” nicely to future situations but also helped me push the pause button,” explains Kanter. “This pausing helped me understand situations and patterns where I should change my initial yes to a no.”

21. Download a calendar app.

Calendars, as our very own Angela Ruth points out, are vital to your productivity. “Without your calendar, you’ll have a difficult time remembering your appointments, meetings, events, deadlines, and employee schedules.”

Thankfully, there is no shortage of fantastic calendar apps out there — there are even some great ones pre-installed on your phone. The key is to find a calendar that meets your exact requirements. At the minimum, it should be customizable, shareable, and accessible on the devices you use.

22. Put first things first.

“Putting first things first means organizing and executing around your most important priorities,” Stephen Covey famously wrote. “It is living and being driven by the principles you value most, not by the agendas and forces surrounding you.”

In other words, book your priorities before something else of less importance takes over that slot.

23. Respect thy calendar.

Speaking of your calendar, when you have something penciled in, follow through with it. For example, if there’s a meeting or conference call at 3 p.m., don’t blow it off because you would instead go for a run. Keep the appointment and go for your run afterward.

Respecting your calendar keeps you on track. And, it ensures that you don’t fall behind on your priorities.

24. Ditch your to-do-lists.

Here’s the problem with to-do-lists. They don’t take into account how much time you need to complete a task. As a consequence, you end-up over-or-underestimating how long something will take you.

A better choice would be time-boxing. Time-boxing is where you block out a specific amount of time for a particular task. Not only will it allocate the right amount of time on the right task, but it will also encourage you to remain focused on the task at hand. It also creates a record of what you’ve achieved and can help fight back against Parkinson’s Law.

25. Don’t let your calendar control you.

“Calendar management is the single most important thing, especially as you get busy and have more responsibilities,” says Mary Callahan Erdoes to CNBC. Erdoes is the CEO of JPMorgan Asset Management.

“You have to be maniacally focused on owning your calendar. You must have the lists of what you need from other people and what other people need from you. What are the short-term issues that need to be dealt with? What are the long-term concerns?

“Unless you can stay on top of that religiously, it will end up owning you. That’s not the way to go about staying organized and being on top of things.”

26. Set a time limit on tasks.

You don’t want to give yourself too much, or too little, time here. But, if you know that you only have 30-minutes to get something done, then you’re going to hustle to make sure you beat the clock. Best of all, you don’t even need to use a timer. Just set a reminder directly from your calendar.

27. Keep your calendar updated in real-time.

Did you make a doctor’s appointment? Did a meeting get canceled? If so, update these changes to your calendar immediately. It’s a surefire way to avoid conflicts or wasting your valuable time.

28. Make sure calendar entries catch your eye.

You wake up in the morning and skim your calendar. It appears to be the same routine. But, you completely overlooked something important, like a phone call at 11 a.m. The reason? The entry didn’t stand out.

For notable entries, make sure that they pop. You can do this by giving them a unique title or using title colors or fonts. Now when you glance at your calendar, you won’t miss these essential entries.

29. Keep your calendar clutter-free.

There’s a belief that you should schedule your entire day. I can see the appeal. If you book your calendar in advance, then it won’t get filled up with less critical objectives. At the same time, you don’t want your calendar to be so rigid that there’s no flexibility. Even worse, you don’t want to pack your schedule with nonsense.

The fix? Don’t clutter your calendar with items like standing meetings or those without a purpose. Other things would be minute or automatic tasks, like brushing your teeth, and entries that no longer fit in your schedule.

30. Speak, don’t type.

Just like dictating instructions to an assistant or employee, use your voice to add new calendar entries. Whether if it’s Siri, Google Assistant, Cora, or Alexa, learn common voice commands to reduce the time spent typing.

31. Learn how to prioritize your time.

If you want to become the most productive boss ever, then you need to learn how to prioritize your time. There are a lot of ways to do this. So, I recommend that you read How Do You Prioritize Your Time? 25 Tips for Optimal Time Prioritization for some killer tips.

Personally, though, I’m a big fan of the priority matrix, such as the famous Eisenhower Matrix.

32. Reprioritize throughout the day.

Even if you’ve prioritized your time, things will pop up throughout the day. As opposed to jumping into these headfirst, make sure that either tied to your goals or are critical. If not, either assign them to someone else or schedule them for later.

33. Put the ‘open door policy’ on hold.

I’m a firm believer that the boss should be accessible when needed. That’s why I’m all for open-door policies. But, they can also be disruptive.

When you need to hit the grindstone, close your office door. It may help to share your calendar or place a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door too.

34. Block apps at certain times.

Do you get anxiety just by the thought of being separated by your phone? If so, you may want to block distracting apps when you don’t want to be disturbed. Now your phone can be by your side without you getting interrupted.

35. Find a hideaway.

As I kid, I built a treehouse deep in the woods. When I needed some alone time, I would retreat there for some peace and quiet.

I may not have a treehouse these days. But, I do have hideaways when I want to work without being distracted. It could be an empty boardroom, unused office, or even a coffee shop.

36. Don’t be afraid to say “no” — also if you’ve already said “yes.”

Stuff happens. So, if your priorities have changed, don’t be afraid to say “no” to time requests — even if you’ve previously accepted. Please be respectful, though, and give the other party a head’s up in advance.

37. Master the art of delegation.

I’ve mentioned this several times already. But, you don’t have the time, energy, or skills to do everything. Identify the best person for the job and hand over these responsibilities to them. It’s a simple way to free up your schedule and keep you focused on your priorities.

38. Automate the repetitive.

Do you know all of those tedious and recurring tasks? You know, paying bills, cross-posting on social media, or meeting reminders. They don’t take long to do. But, when put together, they can be a serious time drain. That’s why you should find tools to automate these tasks for you.

39. Leave on a jet plane.

Not literally — unless you’re in desperate need of a vacation or have to travel for business. Instead, take an airplane day.

Credit goes to Bryan Hassin for this genius hack, who noticed how productive he was during an intercontinental flight. “No Internet access, no distractions, just churning through high priority to-do items,” he wrote. By the end of his flight, he has emptied his inbox. Hassin’s also “completed some “creative” tasks like drafting presentations.

To schedule your own airplane days, review your calendar and pick a day or two to go off the grid. I would just let others know that you’ll be unavailable these days by sharing your calendar with them. You’ll be shocked at how much you’ll accomplish when you’re not always interrupted.

40. Reduce decision fatigue.

We only have so much mental energy. So, why waste it on the trivial?

You can reserve your mental energy by having a go-to-outfit, preparing your meals for the week, and getting your team involved in the decision-making process.

41. Don’t pull yourself out of the game.

Did you ever have one of those days when you’re in the zone? It wasn’t planned. You’re ready to rumble and conquer your top priorities? Well, take advantage of that. If you have the energy and focus to work for 12 hours, then go for it.

On the flip side, when you need to take a break, don’t force yourself to stay in the game. It’s like a dehydrated athlete. They need to remove themselves from the game to get some fluids and rest.

42. If you’re not making progress, move on to something else.

Let’s say that you wanted to write a blog post. You have writer’s block, which has resulted in your starring at the screen for over 20-minutes. At this point, cut your losses. Instead of wasting any more time, move onto something else, and circle back when you’re ready to write.

43. Block out time to review your email.

Recently, I asked a colleague if they received an email that wasn’t necessary. The message was a message from Spotify highlighting the year in music. They said they hadn’t received the message because their inbox was a “mess” with hundreds of unread messages.

Don’t let your inbox get away from you. It will eventually become a daunting and time-consuming chore. That’s why you should block-out specific times throughout the day to keep your inbox in-check without distracting you. I do this three times; in the morning before work, after lunch, and before leaving work for the day.

44. Add labels and categories to your inbox.

Here’s the problem with checking your inbox. It’s easy to get sucked into it. What I mean is that you plan to spend just five-minutes checking your messages and then realize it’s been over 20.

An easy way to avoid this would be to add labels and categories. It’s similar to the 4Ds. If a message is essential and will only take a minute to respond, just do it. For urgent messages that require more in-depth responses, reply when you have more time. Important messages needed for reference can be archived. And, anything that’s not relevant should be trashed.

45. Unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters and promotions.

Stop filling your inbox with garbage. Go through and unsubscribe from any unwanted or outdated newsletters and promotions.

46. Monitor your app usage.

Do you know how much time you spend on your phone? If not, I suggest using an app like RescueTime, or go into your Settings and look at your digital wellbeing. When you realize how much time you’re glued to your screen, you can begin to take steps to curb your usage.

47. Turn on greyscale.

Originally designed as an accessibility feature for users with vision impairment, this will turn your screen, well, grey. That will lead to a dull experience when viewing pics on Instagram. And that’s not fun.

48. Delete distracting apps from your phone.

A long time ago, I deleted my social media apps off my phone. And, to my surprise, my productivity went through the roof. No longer was I getting distracted from social media notifications. Or, getting tempted to view my accounts.

Now, when I need to update my accounts, I have to log in from my computer.

49. Stop using your phone as an alarm clock.

Yeah. It’s convenient. But what do you do when you grab your phone to turn off the alarm? You still going through your emails, newsfeeds, social accounts, etc. Instead of getting out of bed to start your day, you end up lying there glued to your phone, wasting precious time.

50. Find an alternative to meetings.

Let’s not sugarcoat this. Meetings suck. Overall, they’re an unproductive waste of time. So, when possible, skip the meeting altogether by using an alternative like a quick email or phone call.

51. Send out an agenda in advance.

What if a meeting is necessary? Make sure that you create and send out an agenda in advance so that everyone can prepare. It will ensure that the meeting starts and ends on time.

Also, make it a rule never to accept a meeting invite unless you’ve received an agenda.

52. Invite fewer meeting attendees.

You know, too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. The same is true with meetings. Too many participants will lead to an unproductive meeting were side conversations reign supreme. It’s best to invite fewer than eight people to keep the meeting focused.

53. Keep meetings short and concise.

You should also keep your meetings under 30-minutes. There’s no need to keep everyone from their work longer than needed. Besides, that’s around the amount of time that we stop paying attention and learning.

54. Schedule meetings on the right day and time.

How productive is a 9 a.m. meeting on Monday? Probably not very much. One study found that the ideal time was actually at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

55. Stay away from rabbit roles.

“Every meeting tends stray off-topic,” writes Lolly Daskal. “If the subject begins to wander, quickly move back to the agenda.” As the leader, it’s your role “to intervene and bring the conversation back to the topic.”

56. Stand up and meet.

Andrew Knight and Markus Baer of Washington University conducted a study on stand-up meetings versus sit-down meetings. What did they find? Well, standing up during a meeting resulted in better collaboration. It also created more excitement regarding the creative process.

57. Ban electronics from the conference room.

Just like when you’re working, your smartphone is the main reason why you’re getting distracted during a meeting. And, it’s just not you. It’s all the participants.

The quick fix is to ban electronic devices from the meeting. Just ask everyone to leave them in their office. Or. have the participants place them in a basket.

58. Eliminate back-to-back meetings.

Add buffers into meetings. It’s a simple way to avoid running late. And, you can use this time to follow-up and prepare for the next event.

59. Set odd times.

As opposed to starting a meeting at 2:30, consider 2:29 or 3:32. It’s more memorable and so specific that attendees won’t arrive late.

60. Harness the power of AI.

We’re still working on this. But, tools like Calendar use machine learning to make smart suggestions on how to schedule meetings. Sooner then later, it will read the room and record the meeting to automatically take notes.

61. Implement company-wide “No Meetings Day.”

Meetings, as I’m sure you’ve already figured out, are a massive waste of time for you and your team. Tat’s why you should implement a company-wide “No Meetings Day.” For instance, on Wednesday, you make it a rule that absolutely no meetings take place. Now everyone can spend that day working on what’s truly important.

62. Organize your work and week around energy levels.

It’s no secret that productivity is linked to your energy levels. That’s why you’ve heard a million times — “eat the frog” in the morning. The reasoning is that’s when you have the most energy. But, there’s more to it than that.

We also have our own ultradian rhythms, where we can only focus for 60-90 minutes. Afterward, we need to take a break for 30-minutes or so to meditate or walk.

Not only that, each day has a different energy level. Mondays usually suck because you’re coming off the weekend. By Friday, you’re spent. With that in mind, Tuesday and Wednesday are when you’re at peak productivity.

63. Don’t be negligent.

I’m sure that you’re acquainted with the 4Ds of time management. But, what about the 4Ds of negligence?

Granted, this is used in the medical industry. But, it’s also applicable for bosses.

  • Duty. You have a responsibility to follow through with your obligations.
  • Dereliction. Emergencies and the unexpected happen. But, the key is not to let them constantly distract you from your priorities. Also, if you’re not an expert, assign these new tasks to someone who is.
  • Direct causation. If you don’t hold yourself accountable, there will be negative consequences.
  • Damages. What was the cost of your poor management skills? Did you miss a deadline? Lose a client?

64. I’m here to kick ass and chew bubblegum.

I’m not just quoting They Live because it’s a cult classic. It’s been found that chewing gum can boost cognitive abilities and performance. It can also lower stress and even make you more charismatic.

65. Make life easier for you and your assistant.

I highly doubt that you’re not working with an assistant either in-house or virtually. They’re probably already handling your calendar and schedule for you. So, help them help you by letting them shadow you for a bit. Provide them with clear, step-by-step procedures and a list of everything you’ve delegated. And meet with them frequently to go over any changes regarding priorities or procedures.

66. Learn how to speed read.

How would you like to complete all of your required reading in 1/3 or 1/5 the time? That may sound too good to be true. But, it is possible to learn how to speed read. As a result, you’ll save time while continuing to grow and learn.

67. Foresee crisis.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But, things will not always go according to plan. So, get out your crystal ball to see what lies ahead. While you can’t foresee every emergency, try to have a plan for possible emergencies. For example, if you have to leave work, who will step-up in your place? If you had a social media hiccup, what is your crisis management plan?

68. Reconnect with your why.

Periodically, stop and make sure that your efforts are aligned with your goals. If not, they should either be put on the backburner, handed off to someone else, or scraped from your schedule.

69. Delay gratification.

“Our emotional brain has a hard time imagining the future, even though our logical brain sees the future consequences of our current actions,” says David Laibson at Harvard University. “Our emotional brain wants to max out the credit card, order dessert, and smoke a cigarette. Our logical brain knows we should save for retirement, go for a jog, and quit smoking.”

The trick is to strike a balance. For example, you and your team just closed a deal. Savor the moment by going and celebrating. But, don’t overdo by staying out until after midnight. You, and your productivity, are going to pay for it the next day.

70. Make quick calls on small and medium decisions.

As the boos, you’re expected to make hundreds of decisions per day. Here’s the thing, though. A majority of them honestly don’t matter. So, why waste your time and energy, focusing on these small and medium decisions?

In 10–10–10: A Life-Transforming Idea, Suzy Welch uses a simple decision-making system to help resolve this. Whenever you have to decide to make, ask yourself the following:

  • How will I feel about this decision 10 minutes from now?
  • How will I feel about it ten months from now?
  • And in 10 years from now?

71. Work your body.

Are you surprised by this? After all, physical activity is probably the best thing that you could do for your well-being. One study even found that it can improve performance and time management.

Best of all? You don’t need to devote too much time to exercise? Moderate exercise (like going for a 30-minute walk) can help you reap these benefits.

72. Schedule “me” time.

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.

Even though you have a million things to do, add self-care to your calendar. Do the things that you enjoy doing during downtime. And, don’t be afraid to have some alone time to process everything that’s going on.

73. Get enough sleep.

Don’t kid yourself. A lack of sleep will definitely kill your productivity. The reason? If you’re tired, then it’s just not possible to be at 100%. Make your sleep a priority by maintaining a consistent sleep cycle and establishing a relaxing evening schedule.

74. Don’t skip meals.

You need to eat to refuel. Eating the right meals and snacks can also boost your brainpower, improve your sleep, and keep you energetic throughout the day.

75. Remove the stigma around mental health.

Neglecting your mental health can influence your performance. It can also impact your physical health, which can cause absenteeism and serious long-term health concerns.

There’s nothing to be ashamed about here. Leaders have a lot on their minds — and a lot of stress and anxiety. And, sometimes they need to take a mental health day or speak with a trained professional to help them cope with these struggles.

76. Practice gratitude.

Studies show that gratitude can make us healthier and happier. Another study from the University of Pennsylvania found “that when managers expressed appreciation for the employee’s work, productivity went up significantly.”

77. Get rid of rotten eggs.

Whether if it’s a toxic relationship or chores you can’t stand, remove these from your life. Not only does this drag you down mentally, but it can also be a huge time drain.

78. It makes more sense to live in the present tense.

Instead of harping on the past, or worrying about the future, focus on the present. One way to do this? Practice mindfulness meditation. It can lower stress, enhance your focus, and strengthen tour relationships.

79. Laugh.

It’s true. Laughter can make you more productive. Mainly this is because it reduces stress, helps you re-charge, and boosts creativity. It can also foster a more positive work environment. Just don’t be like Micheal Scott and only tell appropriate jokes.

80. Stop fixing something that’s already broken.

I had a friend who kept repairing his second vehicle. He used it to go to work or run errands like going to the dump. However, he spent so much of his downtime trying to keep this truck on the road. He finally threw in the towel and bought a better vehicle.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a beat-up car, slow computer, or inefficient workflow. You can save a lot of time, energy, money, and heartache by stop trying to fix what’s broken.

81. Set team goals and priorities.

You can keep everyone on the same page, as well as give purpose to everyone’s work by establishing team goals and priorities. Even better, it guarantees that everyone is working on the right thing at the right time.

Remeber. If you help your team with their time management, it will help you with yours.

82. Help employees solve complex issues.

Is there an employee who is consistently missing deadlines. Besides holding everyone else up, it’s giving your company a bad name. Get to the bottom of the problem before it gets any worse.

83. Cultivate a culture of flexibility.

Both you and your employees should work when you’re most productive. You should also permit remote working a couple of days per week. And, avoid micromanaging them. These are simple ways to keep everyone happy and productive.

84. Play games.

Time management doesn’t have to be boring. It can even be a little fun. For example, you and your team could play a game like How Long Is a Minute or Circadian Rhythm to help everyone get a better grasp on time management. It also builds rapport within your business.

85. Improve your communication skills.

You’ve just delegated a task to someone else. You didn’t clearly explain your expectations, though. As a consequence, you weren’t satisfied with the final result. Now they have to go back and start from scratch, and you have this task hanging over your head.

If you had better communication skills, this could have been prevented. And, it wouldn’t have wasted everyone’s time.

86. Break large projects into more manageable pieces.

Imagine you’re climbing a mountain. It’s daunting and overwhelming at first. But, if you break your climb down into stages, it will seem a little more manageable.

When you and your team embark on a massive project, scale it down into bite-sized chunks so that it seems more achievable.

87. Don’t overburden your team.

Is your team already working at full capacity? Then don’t throw any more work their way. Besides making them more anxious and stressed, it will also prevent you from delegating some of your less important tasks to them.

88. Provide time management training.

You just hired a new employee. They fit in with your culture and are the best at what they do. But, their time management skills are lacking. As a result, it holds up everyone when working on a project together.

Either mentor them or suggest that they take a time management course so that this is no longer a concern for you or anyone else.

89. Establish time-off schedules for you and your team.

Both you and your team need time away from work. It keeps everyone within your organization fresh and energetic. Most importantly, it reduces stress and burnout. To ensure that this takes place, establish time-off policies like no email after hours, and encouraging breaks.

90. Be the dumbest person in the room.

“One of the best productivity hacks I’ve learned is to hire people who are better at specific things than I am,” wrote Joshua Conran on Inc.com. “I actively work to ensure I’m the dumbest person in the room.”

“As I do this, I become less needed on a day-to-day basis to complete projects, and the company’s talent accomplishes more than I ever could.”

91. Get peer pressure.

Believe it or not, research has found that peer pressure helps kids more than it hurts them. And, this is also true in adulthood.

Surrounding yourself with positive, supportive, and like-minded people encourage you to pick-up healthy habits. Consider joining professional organizations or working in a coworking space the next time you need a productivity boost.

92. The 5-second rule.

I’m a germaphobe. So, this is not about eating food after it’s been on the ground for five seconds. It’s a hack developed by Mel Robbins that can nudge you to take action.

Mel defines this as, “If you have an impulse to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill the idea.”

93. Identify your procrastination triggers.

Despite your best intentions, procrastination happens to us all. Take note of what triggers your own procrastination. Maybe you start thinking that a task is tedious or difficult so that you can find a way to beat procrastination once and for all.

94. Close open loops.

Open loops are commitments you’ve made but haven’t been set in stone. Sure. If something more important pops up, these can be rescheduled. But, if we don’t close these, they linger in our minds. And they can even interfere with your productivity.

For instance, you ran into a colleague last week and agreed to lunch. You didn’t set an exact time, though. So, there you are working when you receive a text from this person saying that they’ll meet you at 12:30 p.m. If you had known this in advance, you would have had more flexibility in your schedule. Now your entire day is off-course.

If you didn’t agree on a specific time initially, then take the initiative and set up a time so that you can close this loop.

95. Maximize your time.

“I’m always trying to maximize my time,” says “Shark Tank” investor and FUBU founder Daymond John.

“For example, I’ll do my emails when I’m on a plane, instead of when I’m in the office. I try to have my team members handle as much of the meetings as possible. I’ll be involved in the last part, so I don’t have to sit through five separate meetings of the same purpose. When I have personal interaction, I try to maximize that as well.”

96. Kill two birds with one stone.

You’ve got a packed schedule. But, you need to discuss a project with an employee. At the same time, you’ve been copped up all day inside and would love to stretch your legs. Why not invite that employee to join you on your walk?

97. Create your ideal workplace.

Your work environment has a significant influence on productivity. With that in mind, create an optimized workplace that will encourage you to be more productive. Examples would be removing clutter from your desk, reducing background noise, and having ergonomic furniture. Also, make sure that you have appropriate lighting, set the temperature just right, and place plants around the office.

98. Almost was good enough.

Perfectionism can be crippling. Sometimes you need to accept that “good enough” will suffice.

Of course, this is easier said than done. But, here’s a strategy that may help. If you’re writing a book, then yeah. You want that to be as close to perfection as possible. But, that social media update or blog post. There’s no need to obsess over them being perfect.

99. Don’t break the chain.

Do you know how Jerry Seinfeld got so funny? He placed a large calendar on his wall and drew a red X on the days are wrote jokes. The idea was not to break the chain by building consistency and momentum.

100. Reflect at the end of the day.

Before drifting off to sleep, take a minute, and reflect on what you accomplished today. It’s a simple trick that will get you motivated. And, it also lets you identify what worked and what needs to be adjusted.

101. Plan your week on Sunday night.

Sundays are supposed to be a day of rest. But, you know, there is no rest for the weary.

Now, you don’t have to put in a full workday on your day off. But, you should sit down every Sunday night and map out your entire. It will guarantee that it will be the most effective and efficient week ever since you know exactly what needs to get done and by when.

Need some tips to get started? Here are eight ways to plan your week so that it will be productive.

How to Simplify Scheduling for Working Parents

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Having a quality product or service isn’t enough to attract more customers. Getting more business is a matter of minimizing the obstacles preventing people from engaging. And a key demographic with significant obstacles is working parents. 

Working parents are constantly struggling to balance their careers, families, and personal lives. And that job is even harder in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the school year begins, many parents will have to homeschool on top of their other parenting and professional duties. 

Because they have to prioritize, many of them let their appointments fall by the wayside. Therefore, anything your business can do to make scheduling and attending appointments easier on working parents benefits you both.

Working parents have their work cut out for them. Use these simple strategies to tap this valuable, time-crunched audience:

1. Normalize self-service scheduling.

Allowing customers to schedule their own appointments can be a gamechanger. Working parents, in particular, want this ability. They simply don’t have time to hop on the phone for every appointment they make. 

It only takes a handful of scheduling calls to disrupt your daily flow. But with self-service scheduling, you can book appointments at any time of day and on any day of the week. 

Letting clients schedule their appointments makes things simpler for them and your employees. Working parents need this kind of flexibility; if you can deliver, you’ll bring more of them in your door. 

2. Create special times for working parents.

A way to demonstrate your awareness of working parents’ circumstances is to offer special hours for them. This could double as a promotional opportunity for your company. 

Think about this strategy like parking lot spaces for expectant mothers: It’s easy to offer, and people will respect it because they understand the plight of working parents.

For an added layer of protection, give working parents special access codes for your scheduling software. Not only does that support them, but it helps you collect data on a key customer demographic: What proportion of your client base is working parents, and how often do they visit?

3. Initiate contact.

Working parents are a lot more likely to make an appointment if you initiate the process. Don’t think of it as bugging them; treat it like an additional service you provide your most loyal customers. 

The good news is, there are a number of ways to get the ball rolling:

  • Ask them about scheduling their next appointment after their current one.
  • Send an email reminder about scheduling after a predetermined amount of time.
  • Call them with their permission.
  • Set up recurring appointments.

All of these methods can help get your clients into a routine. The more they interact with your company, the more important you become to them. The result is fewer cancellations, no-shows, and difficult clients.

4. Bring your business to them.

There’s nothing wrong with bringing more customers in your door. But if you can, why not offer house calls? Parents who need to stay home in order to watch their kids will appreciate it. 

A big part of making an appointment is getting there. Remember, not every client lives right next to your business. Designate a radius you’ll drive to for house calls, and make this public on your website. Blast it out on social media, and see how many working parents sign up. 

If house calls aren’t a fit for your business model, consider delivery. While you can’t deliver a service, it would certainly help working parents if their eye doctor would drop off contacts to try on, for instance. 

5. Make your office kid-friendly. 

Parents often worry that bringing their children to an appointment will disturb others. In a kid-friendly office environment, it’s not nearly as much of a concern. 

Setting up a play area in your office could solve this problem easily. Provide kids with toys and space, and they’ll stay out of other customers’ hair. Include a water cooler and some snacks in case kids — or their parents — get hungry or thirsty while they wait.

Working parents aren’t a rare breed. There are bound to be working parents at your company who can attest to that. Accommodating their — and their kids’ — needs isn’t always easy, but it can make a night-and-day difference to your company’s bottom line. 

Fight Back Against “Urgency Bias”

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In small doses, there’s nothing wrong with creating a sense of urgency. After all, a healthy sense of urgency can help overcome laziness and procrastination. You have to fight against making a vague promise to yourself that you’ll do X, Y, or Z when you have time. Especially right now — within the COVID lag times.

More importantly — staying urgent can keep you motivated and focused. If you know you have to complete a task by a certain date or time, then you aren’t going to let distractions interrupt your flow.

However, according to “The Workplace Therapist” Brandon Smith, we’re in the midst of an urgent pandemic. “Like a chef, how can you effectively put hot sauce on the right things (and not on everything leaving your kitchen)?” he asks.

“As someone who has studied workplace functionality in a myriad of industries and coached hundreds of mid and executive corporate leaders for nearly two decades, I’ve had a front-row spectator’s seat to the evolution of the urgency epidemic,” says Smith. “If you are the recipient of others’ urgency, how can you properly respond so as to not allow others to infect you?”

Smith’s solution, which he describes in his book The Hot Sauce Principle: How To Live And Lead In A World Where Everything Is Urgent All Of The Time, isn’t about time management. It’s about urgency management.

I couldn’t agree more. It’s impossible to be productive and manage your time when you aren’t behind the wheel. By that, I mean playing firefighter or not saying “no” to the right things. Certainly, that’s no easy feat. But, you can use the following techniques to fight back against an “urgency biasE.”

Get inside a priority box.

Not literally. Instead, I’m talking about one of my all-time favorite productivity strategies known as the Eisenhower matrix. Named after President Dwight D. Eisenhower, here you would place all of your to-do-lists items into one the following quadrants:

  • Urgent and important. Tasks that you will do immediately.
  • Important, but not urgent. Tasks that you’ll schedule for later.
  • Urgent, but not important. Anything that can be delegated to someone else.
  • Neither urgent nor important. These should be eliminated from your list and schedule.

What if you have multiple items in your urgent and important quadrant? Assign a letter or number for each. For example, if you have a task that’s due to do today, then that would be assigned either an A or 1.

Here’s the problem though, a priority matrix is no-match for urgency bias. What happens if something gets sprung on you at the last minute? Furthermore, research shows that we “choose to perform urgent tasks with short completion windows.” The reason? We get a quick dopamine hit.

To solve this problem, use the 2-minute rule. It’s similar to the Eisenhower matrix expect that it creates more of a triage system. Here’s how it works:

  • If something will only take you under 2-minutes to complete, just do it.
  • For tasks that someone else could do, hand-it-off to them.
  • If a task is important but time-consuming, schedule it for when you have availability.
  • For anything that’s not important, delete it.

Embrace microproductivity.

You may have never heard of microproductivity. But, don’t get too hung up on that. It’s just another way of saying to take baby steps.

“Breaking tasks down helps us to see large tasks as more approachable and doable, and reduces our propensity to procrastinate or defer tasks because we simply don’t know where to begin,” Melissa Gratias, Ph.D., a workplace productivity coach and speaker, told Trello.

Also, by breaking large projects into smaller tasks with deadlines, you can stay motivated. Remember, we instinctively choose smaller, urgent tasks even when we know that larger, less urgent activities are more consequential.

Furthermore, this stops us from relying too much on our memory. “If we rely on our memory, we’ll stop at every step of the task and think, ‘What am I supposed to do next?’” explains Dr. Gratias, “Those stops are opportunities to get distracted, get off track, or miss a step.” Having smaller to-dos makes it easier for us to determine what needs to be done next.

Microproductivity also lets us establish more specific goals. As such, we’re able to exclude what’s irrelevant, while inciting effort and persistency. And, this also gives us the opportunity to solicit feedback.

Slow down.

You’ve gone ahead and planned out your ideal week. Despite this, you constantly fall into the urgency trap. In turn, you rush in an attempt to get everything done.

Obviously, rushing to get everything done makes you more anxious and stressed while also interfering with your productivity. Mainly this is because you’re more prone to making mistakes or doing multiple things at once. So, you might be curious as to why you keep doing this yourself. Well, our brains get hooked on the adrenaline stimulation.

The solution? Mindfulness.

Instead of jumping from one frying pan to the next, stop, take a deep breath, and consider the following:

  • What’s the ideal outcome for today and the future?
  • What’s your definition of success?
  • Identify your lack of congruence.
  • Identify the strengths and skills needed to succeed.
  • Expand your existing strengths so that you can nurture them.

“When you consistently rush from point A to point B you miss the subtle nuances of the present moment that bring us joy, build connections, cultivate strengths, provide opportunities, and keep you focused to achieve the vision of our ideal life,” explains Dawa Tarchin Phillips for Mindful. “Instead of getting caught rushing to nowhere devote some mindful time to slowing down and outgrowing personal habits and limitations to achieve better results.”

Collaborate with long-term planners.

Whether if it’s a coach, mentor, or co-worker Liz Kislik suggests on HBR that you work with someone who is more cerebral. You know who these individuals are. They have that uncanny ability to combine high energy and careful planning to keep them laser-focused only on the big picture.

Working from a dedicated long-term business plan will help you avoid burnout.

Stop being so selfish.

That may have come off a bit harsh. But, take a moment to consider how your actions impact others. For example, you and your team have carefully crafted a well-thought content calendar. However, you constantly change due dates and titles in order to be more timely. That means your team know has to reshuffle not only the calendar but also their work to accommodate your last-minute demands.

It’s also okay to be a little selfish.

On the flip side, it’s also acceptable to be selfish at certain times. Let’s say that you have a project due at the end of the week. Since you knew this, you planned accordingly. Your schedule for the week only contains activities that will help you meet this deadline.

So, if you have a time request for a last-minute meeting or new assignment, you can politely decline. If it is an urgent matter, see if there is someone you trust who can take care of it. Or, attend to this during a break. If it’s going to take more time then anticipated, you may then have to adjust your calendar. It’s essential to learn to say “no” pleasantly.

Block out your time.

The idea behind time-blocking is straight-forward. You place an activity into your calendar for a specific period of time. An example would be a virtual meeting with your team from 1 pm to 2 pm on Tuesday. Another would be working on your most important task from 8 am to 10 am daily. And, it could also be scheduling breaks throughout the day.

Usually, time-blocking is an effective way to stay focused and maintain your productivity. block Mainly because it helps you block out distractions and discourage multitasking. But, when your blocks are too rigid, that doesn’t leave much wiggle room for anything that may pop-up.

The good news is that you can still use this method to avoid falling into the urgency trap. For instance, what if you’re most productive from 9 am to noon? Well, you would block out that timeframe to focus on your most important or difficult task for the day. You may have heard of this referred to as eating the frog.

Moreover, you can use time-blocking to protect your non-negotiables. Let’s say that you or your family member need to undergo surgery. Obviously you would put this in your calendar so that something of less importance would occupy that space.

But, on a day-to-day basis, you could leave your schedule wide-open during energy lulls, such as after lunch. You could also leave blank spaces available during the day. Maybe leave an hour blank in the morning and another in the afternoon. It’s a safe way to stick to your lists, while also having the flexibility to attend to emergencies.

Keep Up With Housekeeping Using Your Online Calendar

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Even with an online calendar, homeownership is no walk in the park. There’s always something to scrub, clean, or fix, and never enough time in which to do it. However, adding a chore list to your online Calendar will help you sort out what has to be done and when.

Scheduling out your housework can make your life easier. Putting tasks like mowing and vacuuming on your calendar takes them off your mind. When it’s time to worry about them again, your calendar will tell you.

Putting Chores on Your Calendar

Trust your calendar’s organizing skills to help you keep your home spick and span. Here’s how to do it:

1. Carve Out Time

Whatever reasons you have for letting chores go undone — it boils down to not setting aside the time for them. Work and family should take precedence, of course, but you can accommodate everything if you’re intentional about it.

With an online calendar, you can block off time to dedicate solely to your housekeeping duties. If you have a one-bedroom apartment, you may be able to get it all done in an hour. In a five-bedroom house, you might have to block off a few hours multiple times per week.

2. Embrace Checklists

Housework is never finished, and many chores create other ones. Cleaning the countertops dirties the kitchen floor. Picking up trash requires you to take out the trash.

Don’t let cascades of chores throw you for a loop. Create a to-do list with sub-tasks listed out so that you can schedule ample time in your online calendar. Use the “Notes” section when creating an event: If you’re scheduling a bathroom cleaning, for instance, you might list things like “Scrub the shower” and “Clear the shower drain.”

3. Keep a Record of Your Work

While calendars are helpful for scheduling your future plans, they can also be used to record the past. When you create events, these stay in your online calendar and can be viewed at any time.

For housekeeping, you can look backward to, for instance, the last time you cleaned the bathroom. If it’s been a few weeks, then it’s probably time to re-add it to your calendar.

Use the “Notes” section of past events to give yourself tips for the future. If vinegar and baking soda helped you scour the oven, add that to ensure you remember it for next time.

4. Set Recurring Events

Dishes must be done daily. In many homes, vacuuming and dusting are weekly to-dos. Scrubbing or wiping down the baseboards is a good idea to do once a month. Other chores, such as cleaning the oven, can be done once a quarter. But I know a chef that requires his oven to be cleaned, daily.

Adjust your chores to your tolerance level and the level of those you share a space with.

Use recurring events to remind you when it’s time to do a periodic chore. Experiment with reminders: Do you want to know a day in advance, an hour, or just 10 minutes before the time block you set?

5. Get the Mess-Makers to Help Out

If you have children, they can be your greatest housekeeping helpers. Your kids are likely the ones who make most of the messes in the first place. And they usually like to help pick up your home if they are taught to do this while they are young.

Set up an online calendar for each of your kids. List out each of the chores you’d like their help with, along with instructions and due dates. Talk in advance about the consequences of not completing chores. Perhaps chores must be done before your kids can spend time watching TV or playing video games each day.

Keep these tasks in your online calendar, and share them with your kids. By adding the tasks to a Calendar and sharing the calendar you can see what is being done and can hold them accountable.

Using a Calendar in this manner is a business principle — so you are teaching your family many things by conducting “home business” in this manner.

6. Don’t Forget to Declutter

Housekeeping isn’t just about picking up after yourself; it’s also about maintaining your home as a living space. Occasionally, this might involve some decluttering. Hoarding can crowd out your living space and make it difficult to keep clean.

Schedule a day, perhaps annually, to rid yourself of old items you no longer need. Old clothing and toys can be donated to local charities. Hazardous materials, such as e-waste and paint, should be taken to the appropriate collection site. Getting these things out of your home will make housekeeping that much easier in the future.

7. Schedule an All-Out Cleaning Day

When all else fails, take an entire day to clean your home. Taking one weekend a month may be enough to take care of all your major housekeeping projects. If you like your home spotless, you may want to make it twice a month.

With your online calendar, you can get organized for your deep-cleaning day. Prioritize what you want to get done, put together a task list, and assign duties to everyone who’ll be participating.

A clean home is a happy home. Making the time for housekeeping will be a constant battle with the other responsibilities demanding your time. Your online calendar will keep you in check and make sure you’re giving your home the time it needs.

6 Ways to Make Self-Growth More Fun

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Can personal growth be fun? It certainly can be, but it can also be a struggle. 

When the focus is put on growing pains, people are turned off by growth opportunities. They get anxious and decide that the outcome simply isn’t worth the effort. 

Giving up isn’t a good idea, either for your personal well being or your professional life. Even though some try to keep these aspects of life separate, they tend to spill over into one another. 

It’s time for a fresh perspective on personal growth. To make the process not just manageable, but enjoyable:

1. Take a focused approach.

Before the fun begins, you have to narrow your focus. Thinking of personal growth holistically can be overwhelming because it comes in so many colors and approaches. For example, personal growth could encompass any of the following:

  • Becoming a more productive person
  • Building “hard” skills, like software development
  • Gaining “soft” skills, such as empathy
  • Kicking bad habits
  • Enhancing your physical body through exercise
  • Eating better
  • Pursuing your passions
  • Growing spiritually 

Chances are, you want to improve yourself in more than one of those ways. But in order to make the growth process enjoyable, you need to focus. Multitasking will not be effective: You’ll spread yourself too thin, and your growth won’t be as substantial.  

With that said, focusing doesn’t mean saying “no” to growth opportunities right in front of you. It’s about prioritizing what’s most important to you in your current situation. After that, look at what development processes contribute to your priorities. 

Developing a good habit, for example, may be the key to kicking a bad one. Likewise, spiritual growth could lead to mental clarity that enhances your productivity. There may be more overlap than you think. 

2. Bring a friend along on your journey.

Personal development should be about improving yourself, but it doesn’t have to be a solitary process. Doing it with a close friend can make it more fun. Not only will you be able to build off of each other, but you’ll both enjoy it more. 

The key is choosing your partner wisely. Look for someone you trust who’s pursuing similar types of personal growth.

Then, it’s about collaboration and accountability. Start a book club together. Collaborate on a passion project. Check each other’s progress toward the goals you decide on.

3. Don’t compare yourself to others.

Whether you are on a personal growth journey with someone specific or individually, avoid comparing your growth to someone else’s. It’s better to measure yourself against past versions of yourself. 

Competing with yourself can be incredibly rewarding. Feeling like you’re better than you were yesterday is a great reason to get out of bed and work hard. 

Even when competing against yourself, avoid endzone thinking. You’re a work in progress, like everyone else. There’s no such thing as a “best” you, so don’t stress about it.

4. Get in touch with your inner child.

When it comes to personal growth, it’s important to discover things about yourself along the way. Remember how fun exploring a new subject could be as a kid?

Giving structure to your personal growth journey is good, but you need to leave room for surprises. There’s a lot of fun in self-discovery, which is a great incentive to keep growing. Expecting any one outcome from your journey is limiting and stressful. 

5. Travel to new places.

Traveling supercharges your self-growth. You can learn so much from being in another place and experiencing different cultures. 

But in order to grow from traveling, you need to interact with the people at your destination. Simply going somewhere to sit on a beach and sight-see is tourism, not true exploration. Meeting new people is a constructive way to challenge your perspective on life.

6. Try out new hobbies.

Hobbies are inherently personal. But don’t write off a hobby before you give it a shot. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to do it forever; just try it. 

By testing out new hobbies, you flesh out your sense of self. Just as importantly, you grow in your understanding of the community that engages in the hobby. 

Say you’re a sports fan. Role-playing games may not seem like a natural progression, but who knows? Participating in them could give you a better sense of team dynamics, which can deepen your appreciation of physical sports. 

Engaging in new hobbies is an excellent growth strategy to cross with the second, collaboration. Trying something new together is both less intimidating and tends to produce faster growth. 

Personal growth shouldn’t be something you dread. Don’t overemphasize the difficulties. In fact, if you think about self-development the right way, it can be the most fun thing you do all day. 

Why Back-to-School Disrupts Productivity

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Like so many other children, my siblings and I went to an afterschool program when we were younger. It makes sense. However, with the pandemic, these things aren’t as common. Parents are juggling working from home while also homeschooling their kids. While schools still have the in-person option, there are many things for parents to consider. Parents couldn’t always leave work in the middle of the afternoon to scoop up their kids when the school day ends. But, this program was also open during the summer, which meant that mom was dropping us off before work and picking us up when she was off work.

As a kid, we thought we were being punished. In reality, we weren’t old enough to be left home alone, and our parents still had to go to work. Also, it didn’t disrupt their routine. When we got older and were allowed to stay home, and I remember how hard it was to get back into a routine. As a partner myself today, I can’t imagine what it was like for my parents.

Despite the misconception, back-to-school is not the most wonderful time of the year for parents, especially here in 2020. It’s actually one of the most stressful times for parents. “Back-to-school season brings an array of challenges,” Alyssa Johnson, vice president of account management for Care@Work, told SHRM. “New caregivers, new schedules, and new after-school programs all require a period of adjustment that working parents are balancing with their responsibilities in the office.”

Care@Work conducted a survey back in 2015 that found that 51 percent of working parents reported that back-to-school interferes with their work. Besides adjusting to new schedules, back-to-school can also disrupt your productivity in the following ways.

Prepping your kids for the new school year.

In a perfect world, you and your kids could wake-up on the first day of school and are ready to roll. The truth is that with the pandemic looming over the school year, there’s actually quite a bit of prep work to go into the start of the new academic calendar year.

For starters, there’s some shopping involved. Kids will need new school supplies, clothes, and food items for either a packed lunch or after-school snack. Sure, you can do most of this online. But, what if your child had a growth sprout over the summer and you don’t know what size shoes they wear? It’s easier to go to a store in-person to make sure you get the right size on the first try. Hopefully, there are some stores in your area that are taking health safety measures to insure you can still shop safely.

As for school supplies, a lot of teachers will give you a list before school starts. But, sometimes they will issue this list on the first day of the school year. That means when your kids get home, you have to be home that day early. You must stop what you’re doing — and go grab these things — or your kid is in trouble at school.

Additionally, if your child is changing schools because they’re moving from elementary school to junior high, there may be tours or orientation so that the student is familiar with the new building. This is usually the case, but not all schools are doing tours this year. Even if you aren’t required to attend this, you still have to figure out how they’ll get there and back, should you decide to have them at the school this year.

Getting the family back into a routine.

During the summer, kids are staying up later and sleeping in. They also don’t have much structure throughout the day. In other words, they don’t have a daily routine.

The first couple of days at school is mayhem. Children don’t respond to their alarm clock or your panicked screams. As a result, they oversleep. Now there isn’t time for them to have a healthy breakfast, remind you to sign a form or get dressed in time to catch the bus. The next thing you know, you’re on carpool duty, driving behind a bus, and late for work.

But, it’s just not a morning routine that’s been thrown out of place. Their evening routine has also been impacted. Instead of going outside to play, they need to do homework and make sure that they are prepared for school the next day. And, they also need to hit the hay earlier. It’s only more complicated when there are also extracurricular activities involved.

Getting back into a routine is difficult for anyone — particularly if you’ve just had a couple of months of freedom. It may even take a couple of weeks from them to get back into a groove. All the while, your routine is equally disrupted. It’s impossible to start your day on the root foot when you’re dealing with bad moods and rushing your kid out the door.

New school activities and responsibilities.

A new school year also means additional activities and responsibilities that need to be added to your family’s calendar. Examples include some sports, tutoring, homework, and testing. Somehow you have to squeeze all of these items into your already hectic schedule.

And it can also be distracting and stressful. Trying to coordinate transportation can interfere with your day, for example. Instead of focusing on work, you’re texting your spouse or another parent to sort this out. What’s more, you also have to work out how you’ll be able to attend these daytime events.

Unexpected days off.

Kids get sick. A snowstorm shuts down the roads. These are challenges that are common during the school year, and they will most certainly impact your productivity. In most cases, you’ll have to call out of work and use up a sick or personal day. This school year, COVID might make things even more challenging, since that is still prominent. Whatever you had planned now gets pushed to tomorrow or the next day. Obviously, your calendar is going to be off.

Even if you’re able to work from home for the day, you still have your children to worry about. If they’re sick, you’ll have to play doctor during the day. If it’s a snow day, they may continuously interrupt you because they’re bored or want to go sledding.

Professional development days and breaks.

Schools are closed for major holidays, and your business probably is as well. Depending on COVID in your area, your school may decide to close for that as well. But, what about breaks, like the last week of December or professional development days (called “early-day” by the kids)? If you don’t have childcare lined up, you have to stay at home. Again, even if you are still getting work done, your output probably isn’t as high when the kiddos aren’t around.

Anxious children.

We’ve all been there. You drop your child at pre-school, and they start bawling. You feel terrible. No parent wants to see their young child in such a state. Even though you know they’ll adjust and so will you — the first couple of days or weeks can be trying. You may be fine time-wise, but it throws off your productivity just a bit.

As children get older, they may get anxious about attending a new school or state testing. I can personally attest to this. I hated the first week of school as a freshman. It was a new school with a bunch of kids from other districts, and I wanted to hang with friends — but felt like I should include everyone. Then there was the inevitable jockeying for positions on teams and social groups.

Marital stress.

According to an Indeed survey, 84 percent of moms and 85 percent of dads “are surprised by the new school year’s challenges. Over half said they were unprepared to manage conflicting demands.” As a consequence, this takes a toll on their marriage.

A majority of parents, 88 percent of moms, and 85 percent of dads reported that the back-to-school season is stressful on their marriages. To make matters worse, “72 percent of moms and 53 percent of dads say they receive no support at work during back-to-school time.”

It would be a miracle to stay concentrated on work when you’re dealing with problems at home. As opposed to being 100 percent focused on a work-related task, your mind is more concerned with the argument you had before you left for the day and how it’s going to be resolved.

As a business owner, even now, with school right around the corner — the employees are disrupted. Most parents are trying to figure out whether or not they should send their kids to school or manage homeschooling them. Others have to leave early for picking up kids because it’s their “turn,” or their partner is late, or had a meeting, or is out of town on business.

The productivity drain is a concrete issue. My team picks up the slack and handles everything well — but nonetheless — the problem is real.

Staying organized.

Work-life balance is already a challenge. Now factor in all of the back-to-school, and staying organized is most likely your primary source of stress at work — and at home — when the kids go back to school. Moreover, your productivity can take a hit when you have to address last-minute or unexpected emergencies, mainly because it forces you to shuffle your schedule.

How to survive back-to-school and maintain your sanity throughout the year.

Yes. The new school year is stressful and chaotic, and it disrupts your productivity. Thankfully, you can use the following pointers to get back on track and stay sane for the remainder of the academic year.

Set attendance goals with your child.

It’s like Jerry Seinfeld’s productivity hack. He used to put an X on a wall calendar whenever he wrote for the day. Eventually, this created a “chain.” The goal then was not to break the chain. Keep track of your child’s attendance and reward them for not missing school. Also, don’t let them stay home unless they are genuinely sick.

Establish a routine.

Wake-up and go to bed at the same time during the week. Also, make sure that the entire family has a structure before and after school, like doing homework immediately after dinner, turning off electronic devices before bed, and preparing for tomorrow. It’s a simple and effective way to give your family structure and set everyone up for success.

Have a shared calendar.

Get an online calendar like Google, Apple, or Cozi that can be shared with your family. Now you and your family can view each other’s schedules and stay on the same page. A shared calendar will also help prevent scheduling conflicts, and help assigns household chores.

Schedule appointments during off-hours.

While not always possible, try to make any medical or dental appointments during off-hours, like before work, after school. During a lunch break is still “iffy” but better to go at lunch so that appointments don’t interrupt your day too much. If your child has to pause school time for this appointment, have them finish their work afterward so that they’re not missing an entire day of school.

Schedule extended trips during school breaks.

If you have to take trips during the pandemic, schedule your extended trips during regular school breaks to help your child stay caught up in school. These routines and habits help to set the expectation for your child to be in school during the school year. Even in elementary school, missing a week of classes can set your child behind on learning — and the schools demand days made-up now. Those make-up days just spread the “back to school disrupt” into another time of year that can be worse for productivity.

Split responsibilities.

Have your kids help out with household chores and compromise with your partner. For example, if your child has to miss two days of school, you stay home one day and your spouse the other. If they take the kids to school, then you pick them up. More people split their household and child responsibilities nowadays, and it makes for less lost productivity.

Build your village.

Put a support system in place for yourself and your child. Start with your immediate family, neighbors, and other parents. You can help each other out when needed. For example, if you need to leave earlier than usual to prepare for a meeting, your neighbor could take your child to school. If you can’t make a daytime event maybe they could record it for you. Just remember to return the favor.

It’s okay to let some things slip.

You’ve already got a lot on your plate when the kids go back to school. That means that you can cut yourself some slack and let some things slide. For instance, you don’t have to fold your laundry as soon as the dryer has finished its cycle. Put some folding off until you have a little more free time like on the weekend. If you like things perfect with laundry — try giving that good habit a rest for the sake of your more essential productivity aspects in your life.

Have a flexible schedule.

As an entrepreneur, you can set your own schedule. Maybe you could work from home a couple of days a week, or you can build your schedule around your kids. Try starting work by seven then finish up when your child is done with school. Definitely leave some blank space in your calendar. I don’t schedule anything between one and two pm right now. I don’t goof-off — it’s time I use to reflect or take care of less critical tasks. But, if I had to leave because my child had a doctor’s appointment, it doesn’t completely throw my schedule off.

Plan way in advance.

As soon as you can, review your calendar for the rest of the year — and the upcoming year. It’s the best way to remain productive and reduce your stress since you can coordinate schedules or line-up childcare before there’s an issue.

Too Hot to Hang: 5 Indoor Team-Building Activities to Do at a Distance

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The great outdoors is, well, great. But in the late summer, the heat and humidity can be unbearable. 

Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, that can cause problems if you’re trying to plan a team-building activity. Given that they allow for social distancing, outdoor activities are safer than indoor ones. But safer yet, of course, are remote activities. 

Don’t let the heat hinder you. There are activities you can do remotely and indoors that are just as engaging and valuable. Check out the following team-building ideas that you can do when the weather is far from ideal:

1. Trivia Games

Trivia is a classic team-building activity because it gets people talking and can promote healthy competition. It’s also very simple. You just need a set of questions, two or more teams, and a way to keep score. 

Doing trivia virtually isn’t much of a stretch, either. Simply follow these procedures:

  • Assign someone to be the host at the start of each new game.
  • Use breakout rooms to allow teams to deliberate.
  • Agree on how long teams should be allowed to discuss answers.
  • Establish an honor system to dissuade people from cheating.
  • Decide on a prize to motivate employees. 
  • Use an app or video conferencing service to facilitate the match.

What about the topic? It’s up to you. The questions could be based on pop culture, history, or something specific to your company. You might even try making all the questions about whoever is hosting. It’s never a bad idea to help your team get to know the people they work with a bit better.  

2. Group Wellness Day

One of the best ways to promote wellness at your company is to get together for wellness activities. A community of people can set goals and support each other. 

Consider organizing a remote wellness day for team building. You can synchronize computer screens and do things like guided meditations, yoga, at-home exercises, mental health conversations, and more.

Putting on this kind of event will take some planning. Gather some interested employees to help you plan it out. But even though it will take time, it doesn’t have to be expensive. Lean on free video sites, such as DoYogaWithMe, and trusted wellness resources, like the Mayo Clinic.

3. Anonymous Letter Writing

Writing letters is therapeutic. Plus, 81% of people consider it more meaningful to receive a handwritten letter than high-tech options, such as an email.

Think about it like a Secret Santa game. Assign each member of your team a colleague to write to. Then, decide on a theme for the letters. Ideas include:

  • Gratitude and thankfulness
  • Summer reflections
  • Hope and change
  • Mental health
  • Lessons learned
  • Funny stories and jokes
  • Frustrations and challenges

Once everyone receives their letter, get together for a video conference. Figure out who wrote what to who, and share high points from the messages. 

4. Book Club Meetings

You’ll be stunned by the way reading can bring a team together. And book clubs are a perfect way to learn and discuss various topics with colleagues. It’s as simple as choosing a book for your team and setting a date to discuss the insights you’ve gained. 

Not only can you meet virtually, but you can also set up recurring meetings to chat about each chapter. Don’t make it an obligation, but do invite anybody who might want to join. 

5. Dramatic Readings

Have you ever dreamt of being an actor? Well, a virtual play reading might be your chance to show off your acting chops. If you fancy something different, you could even recite a screenplay from a movie you all love. 

Reading through a play is simpler than it sounds: Assign a character to each team member. Encourage them to really get into the role. Costumes and accents can take dramatic readings to the next level.

How should you organize your reading? One way is to do a dry run all in one sitting. Merely getting through the play can give people a sense of accomplishment. Team members who worry about the time commitment might prefer this option.

Although it takes more time, the better choice is to give your team members some time to prepare. That way, they can get props together and really get into their character. The rest of your team can watch the performance remotely and give their standing ovation in the comfort of their own home. 

Who says team-building has to be a headache? There’s no need to suffer through sweat and dehydration to get people together. Summer team-building can be fun, simple, and yes, even comfortable. 

The 11 Biggest Symptoms of Poor Time Management

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The 11 Biggest Symptoms of Poor Time Management

Whether you realize it or not, time management plays a huge role in how successful you are in life. For starters, it can reduce stress, allows you to prioritize what’s most important, and improves your reputation. Time management also helps you make the right decisions, eliminates wasted time, and gives you the freedom to do the things that you truly enjoy in life.

Here’s the thing. Just because you have a full calendar and receive daily reminders doesn’t mean that you’re effectively managing your time. It just means that you’re busy and not necessarily spending your days as productive as they should be.

But, how can you tell that you need to adjust your time management game? Here are 11 symptoms of poor time management to let you know and how you can cure them.

1. Poor punctuality.

Sure. There are times when something out of control, like getting a flat tire, causes us to run late. However, that’s not the same as having the reputation of being that person who is never on-time.

This may not seem like a big deal. But, it actually shows that you’re not respectful of other people’s time. “Essentially, running late is very poor manners,” etiquette expert and founder of The Good Manners Company, Anna Musson, told The Huffington Post Australia.

“There are a multitude of reasons as to why, but the overriding reason is it suggests deep down you think your time is more valuable than others’.” Musson also explains that during “the Victorian times, there were often six-course dinners all perfectly timed according to wine and service.” That meant if someone was late, “it could throw out the whole evening.”

Besides being disrespectful, tardiness also costs money and lowers productivity in the workplace. For example, even if you just ran five-minutes late to a meeting, that means all of the participants are just sitting there waiting for instead of doing more important work.

There are several ways that you can change this behavior. But, Musson suggests that one of the first things to do is to pretend that anything you have scheduled starts 30-minutes earlier. So, if a meeting begins at three P.M., schedule it in your calendar for 2:30.

2. Constant rushing.

Do you feel like you jumping from one thing to another without being able to catch your breath? If so, that’s another red flag regarding your time management.

Like running late, sometimes this is unavoidable, like if you got caught in a traffic jam on the way to a meeting. However, most of the time it’s because you’re either waiting until the last minute or overextending yourself.

To rectify this, be more realistic with how much you can do in a day — tracking your time for a couple of weeks can help you with this. After that, you should know how much you can get done in a day so that you aren’t planning to do more than you can.

Also, schedule buffers between calendar entries. This means if you have a meeting that ends at 1:30 PM, you would schedule the next one at 2 PM or later so that you aren’t immediately going from one meeting to the next.

3. Decreased quality of work.

You might not realize this as a business owner or leader. But, if it’s been brought to your attention that your work has been sloppy as of late, then that’s another sign to be aware since it shows that you’re rushing just to complete a task.

The only way you’ll become aware of this is to solicit feedback from others. For example, before submitting an article to Entrepreneur, I always have a teammate look through the piece to make sure it’s acceptable. If they notice a pattern of poor writing, I expect them to bring this to my attention. I may have been too busy with other work and write the pieces too quickly. Knowing the team member will let me know if I’m off somewhere, leaves me free to keep my mind clear. Also, I can make sure not to repeat the same errors in the future.

4. Frequently missing deadlines.

I don’t know about you. But, I hate missing deadlines. Personally, I feel that it shows that you are unreliable. And, if that’s the case, then you can be certain that customers and clients will take their business elsewhere to more reliable businesses.

There are actually a number of reasons why this may be the case. But, a lot of the time it’s because you’re either dragging your feet and just have too much on your hands. Again, be real with how much you can get done in a day. Also, learn how to say “no” to time requests if you’re already working at full capacity. You can also learn to outsource better. And, try to build your schedule around when you’re most productive.

5. Inability to set and achieve goals.

Goals help us identify our priorities. They give us direction and motivation. And, most importantly, they give everything we do a purpose.

But, do feel that a majority of what you do lacks a purpose? Or, do you feel that you’ll never be able to achieve the goals that you have set? If so, it may be because you haven’t taken the time to set and achieve goals that are SMART — which is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

6. Procrastination.

I’ve alluded to this a couple of times. But, procrastination is one of the most glaring signs that you have a time management issue.

To be fair, some people actually thrive waiting until the last minute to complete important work. In fact, it even feels good to procrastinate. But, it’s definitely something that is not recommended. After all, studies have found that it can lead to anxiety, stress, and depression. If kept up, it can eventually impact your physical health as well.

Kicking your procrastination habit isn’t always easy. But, the first place to start is to figure out why you’re procrastinating. From there, you can find the best way to stop waiting until the last minute. For example, instead of focusing on your most important activity for the day in the afternoon, block out time in the morning for it since this is when we have the most concentration and energy.

7. Easily distracted.

I get it. The workplace is full of distractions. But, if you constantly let them interfere with your work, then expect consequences like running late, rushing, missing deadlines, and procrastination. You can also forget about reaching any of the goals you set as well — whether they’re SMART or not.

The first step is to identify your biggest distractions. After that, you can eliminate them. For instance, if your smartphone interrupts you every time you receive a notification, then either turn it off or put it on silent.

8. Overextension.

Another symptom of poor time management is overextension. This is where you take on too much work or make too many commitments. For example, if you’re already spending more than 40 hours per week working for the clients that you already have, why would take on even more clients? Or, if next Thursday already has three meetings in your calendar, then you probably don’t have time for a fourth.

Again, be realistic with what you can get done in a day. If you already have a full plate, then don’t add anything else. Instead, schedule it for another time when you do have the availability.

9. Multitasking.

Let’s be honest here. Multitasking does not work. However, when you’re strapped for time, you may try to do the impossible and do more than one thing at a time.

Instead of multitasking, focus on thing at a time. Once that is done, then move on to what’s next. It may not sound like an effective. But, single-tasking is much more effective and time-efficient.

10. Unhealthy habits.

Who has time to sleep, eat healthy, or exercise when there are so many other things that need to get done? Hopefully, we all do. After all, neglecting your health because think that you don’t have time is never a good thing and can result in a wide range of productivity and health concerns.

Make getting 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep a priority. When taking a break between work, go for a walk or do some exercises in your office. And, skip the junk food by preparing your meals for the week on Sunday afternoons.

11. Burnout.

Finally, if you aren’t managing your time the right way, then you’ll eventually get burned out. As a consequence, you’re putting your career and health in jeopardy. The reason? You’re working yourself to the bone just to play catch-up. Eventually, you aren’t sleeping, eating garbage, and so stressed that you’re making yourself sick. This can then lead to diminished work, relationship problems, and lowered creativity.

Schedule frequent breaks throughout the workday. And, most importantly, spend time away from work so that you can enjoy your life. That means when you’re spending time with your family during dinner or a weekend excursion you aren’t preoccupied with work, such as responding to emails or phone calls.

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