The Secrets of Effective Time Management

The Secrets of Effective Time Management

“It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste time.”
Henry Ford

Managing your time, finding balance, and living a complete and joyous life in this day and age almost feels like an oxymoron.  Today, more than ever before, we run from one task to another, often times combining tasks just to keep up.  If you are running your own business, then the day-to-day tasks are difficult to manage and even more difficult to escape.  You’re likely thinking about and managing your business 24/7.  Coupled with the standard everyday tasks, it may seem like an impossible task to manage your time effectively.

The Effects of Poor Time Management

One of the biggest effects of poor time management is stress.  Not the kind of stress that is easily recognizable, but a more pervasive and insidious type of stress. It sneaks in under the radar and causes long-term damage to your health and your overall happiness. Chronic stress, stress that is the result of long term and pervasive stress, causes significant health problems.

0BAccording to WebMD, chronic stress can be the result of a host of irritating hassles or a long-term life condition, such as a difficult job situation. In people who have higher levels of chronic stress, the stress response lasts longer. Over time, chronic stress can have an effect on:

• The immune system.

• Cardiovascular disease.

• Muscle pain.

• Stomach and intestinal problems.

• Reproductive organs.

• The lungs.

• Skin problems.

• It also causes mental coping issues to arise. 

Each of these health issues add up and cause other issues like diabetes, obesity, heart attacks, chronic fatigue, insomnia and so on.

To put it mildly, chronic stress caused by poor time management can shorten your life and significantly detract from your overall quality of life. It’s been estimated that as many as 90% of doctor’s visits are for symptoms that are at least partially stress-related. 

How Chronic Stress and Poor Time Management Affects Your Business and Your Life

With too many tasks on your plate, it’s difficult to focus on any one and prioritizing often seems impossible when everything needs to get done.  The result is a tremendous amount of wasted time, not achieving goals, and losing money. 

• Loss of control.  Poor time management means things will slip through the cracks.  When this happens, unfortunately your customers often pay the price. This causes almost a vicious circle of you trying to appease dissatisfied customers, which then sets you back and adds even more tasks to your list, which again causes more things to slip through the cracks.

• Burnout.  Presumably you started your business, or are starting a business, not only to make money but also to gain personal satisfaction and to spend your days doing something you are interested in and maybe even passionate about.  However, even the most desirable activities can become tiresome when you’re doing them 80+ hours a week. 

When you manage your time effectively, it gives you the power to set your business aside, for a day, for a week, or even for months, to live the life you want to live and to stay fresh.  It’s a great way to live and a great way to do business.  Imagine your productivity, ingenuity, and enthusiasm if you wake up each and every day excited about the day and what you’re going to accomplish.

• No joy.  When you spend your days struggling to get it all done, you don’t save time for yourself.  You don’t save time for hobbies, friends, family and fun.  These are the most important things in life and to do without them is to do a great disservice to yourself – especially when it’s not necessary. With a little organization and a few tried and true time management practices and tools, you can have your cake and eat it too.  You can own and operate a successful business and have time to enjoy life.

What Happens When Entrepreneurs Don’t Effectively Manage Their Time?

To be successful, it is important to be able to manage your time effectively.  Time management means not allowing distractions.  When you don’t manage your time effectively:

• Work suffers.  Lack of effective time management means hours and hours spent on tasks that are not important leaving only a little bit of time for the projects that really do affect your bottom line.  Email or social networking is a prime example.  It’s too easy to spend an entire morning Twittering, updating your Facebook or linked in page or answering emails. 

Lack of effective time management results also means trying to handle too many tasks at once.  Multitasking may seem like

Pages: 1 2