A key benefit of owning your own business is choosing your working hours. That was probably a drawcard when you started out. Chances are, you planned to spend less time in your business and more time with your friends and family. Then reality kicked in and you found yourself coming in earlier, staying later, and taking work home with you on the weekend. This probably wasn’t the life you'd imagined.
So, how do you start reducing your hours to get the life you want? These are our 3 tips:
1. Identify the biggest time wasters in your day. In today's fast-paced world, interruptions and emergencies often disrupt our work. How often do you have to stop and address crises or urgent issues? Do you feel the need to respond immediately to emails and calls?
Sometimes, tasks seem important only because they are urgent, which can be a result of poor planning. The Achiever Matrix categorizes tasks into four groups, helping you identify which ones you can delegate, eliminate, or prioritize.
By focusing more on tasks in the 'quadrant of quality,' you can increase daily productivity and minimize the chances of tasks becoming urgent.
2. Identify how you can better utilise your team and resources. Lack of effective delegation may be taking up too much of your time. Trust your team, provide them with training and resources, and delegate tasks to them.
We can help you create a clear organizational structure with defined roles and responsibilities, freeing up your time for important activities like revenue generation, family time, or hobbies. We'll also assist you in finding tasks that you can outsource if you don't have a team, such as marketing, administration, HR, or finance.
Don’t employ a team? What tasks could you outsource to free up your time? Consider things you don’t enjoy or that aren’t your strength. The most commonly outsourced departments are marketing, administration, HR and finance.
3. Plan for your desired lifestyle. Setting clear SMART goals and monitoring relevant KPIs can help you prioritize tasks and gain time freedom. If something isn't contributing to your goals, consider its necessity or if someone else can handle it. If necessary, schedule time to complete it before it becomes urgent.
If you struggle to hold yourself accountable, we can provide that accountability to help you free up your time. You don't have to work 80+ hours in your business unless you genuinely want to. We can suggest helpful apps and streamline your systems to reduce your work hours.
“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.” - Stephen Covey
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