How can you use time management to increase productivity when self-employed?
Being self-employed can offer many benefits, such as flexibility, autonomy, and creativity. But it also comes with some challenges, such as managing your own schedule, setting your own goals, and staying motivated. Time management is a crucial skill for any self-employed professional, whether you are a freelancer, a consultant, or an entrepreneur. It can help you increase your productivity, deliver quality work, and achieve your desired outcomes. In this article, we will share some tips on how you can use time management to boost your performance and satisfaction when working for yourself.
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David Buck| Life on Your Terms by Mastering Your Time | In-Career (Individuals & Teams) | Post-Career (Individuals & Couples) |…
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Harvinder Singh✨🏅272 X Linkedin Top Voice 🏅✨|| 8% in Top Generative AI & Top Product Analysis Voice || Top Artificial Intelligence…
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Aditya KumarIntern @Luminous Power Technologies (P) Ltd (@Schneider Electric) || Gold MLSA @Microsoft || Chairperson @IEEE IAS &…
The first step to improve your time management is to evaluate how you are currently spending your time. You can use a tool like a time tracker, a calendar, or a journal to record your daily activities, tasks, and goals. This will help you identify how much time you are dedicating to your core work, how much time you are wasting on distractions or low-priority tasks, and how much time you are allocating to your personal and professional development. By analyzing your current situation, you can spot the gaps, the opportunities, and the areas for improvement.
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Harvinder Singh
✨🏅272 X Linkedin Top Voice 🏅✨|| 8% in Top Generative AI & Top Product Analysis Voice || Top Artificial Intelligence (AI) Voice || 10% in Top Business Transformation Voice ||
By tracking your time, you may realize that you are spending too much time on non-essential tasks Eg, A self-employed consultant realizes they spend excessive time on unproductive client calls. Define specific objectives to focus on essential tasks Eg, A freelance photographer prioritizes editing photos over non-urgent social media engagement. Schedule dedicated time for personal and professional development: Allocate time for learning and skill enhancement Eg, A self-employed fitness trainer sets aside time for attending workshops to learn new training techniques. Communicate clear office hours to prevent work-life balance disruptions Eg, A self-employed writer sets boundaries with clients to avoid late-night work requests.
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Aditya Kumar
Intern @Luminous Power Technologies (P) Ltd (@Schneider Electric) || Gold MLSA @Microsoft || Chairperson @IEEE IAS & Sensors Council SBC - CUH || 5x Microsoft Certified || 3x Imagine Cup Mentor || Windows Insider
Mastering Time Management: Start with Self-Assessment Elevate your productivity by first understanding how you invest your time. 🚀 Utilize tools like time trackers or calendars to log daily activities. Uncover patterns – are you maximizing core tasks, succumbing to distractions, or nurturing personal growth? Analyzing your current approach reveals opportunities for efficiency. Let's share insights on optimizing time use!
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David Buck
| Life on Your Terms by Mastering Your Time | In-Career (Individuals & Teams) | Post-Career (Individuals & Couples) | CPRC | Author of "The Time-Optimized Life" | Featured in The Wall Street Journal |
Self-employment means you are responsible for how your spend you time. Consider the following: - Plan your calendar 2 weeks out. Proactively determine how you will spend your time and then reactively adjust as events dictate. - Know how to organize your activities and understand how you will be able to prioritize them. - If you bill by the hour, invest in a time tracking tool that will allow you to understand how and where you spend your time. Whatever path you choose, there is no easy tool or method, you've got to find the best options for you and dedicate the time and invest in using all of your available time well.
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Héctor Pérez Vega
Founding partner of Somos una mina, S.L./ Trainer in management skills / Consultant in purchasing strategies / Expert in negotiation processes / Author of the book "Somos una mina"
Lo más importante es saber que quieres hacer con el tiempo. Que objetivos tienes marcados para esa hora, es día, esa semana, etc. sin unos objetivos bien definidos primero, concretos, no sabras si estas empleando el tiempo correctamente.
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Amy Schield, MBA
Time management & neuroscience-based mindset coach 🧠 | I help small biz owners & solopreneurs navigate the mental & emotional side of business, so they can get more done & make more money 💥 | Time mgmt = mind mgmt
A crucial aspect of assessing your current situation is setting a goal for business growth. You'll gain clarity around how you want to spend your time and energy, and the specific steps you need to take to reach the goal.
The next step is to plan your work and set realistic deadlines for yourself. You can use a tool like a project management software, a to-do list, or a planner to organize your tasks and projects according to your priorities, deadlines, and resources. You can also break down your larger goals into smaller and more manageable steps, and assign a specific time frame for each one. By planning your work and setting deadlines, you can create a clear and actionable roadmap for your success, and avoid procrastination and stress.
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David Buck
| Life on Your Terms by Mastering Your Time | In-Career (Individuals & Teams) | Post-Career (Individuals & Couples) | CPRC | Author of "The Time-Optimized Life" | Featured in The Wall Street Journal |
Being self-employed I use a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool. This allows me to keep all customer records in one place. I can establish tasks and deadlines tied directly to that client, that then gets integrated into my overall calendar. I can create goals tied to that client, allowing me to understand how well I am engaging with that client. The more you can integrate your planning and execution around only necessary and needed tools, the more time is opened up for meaningful activities. A CRM helps.
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Martin Weitzel
Time Mastery Top Voice | Head of Innovation, writing about Self-Improvement, Corporate Work, and Digital Business Innovation.
Being a solo entrepreneur means you’re the boss. You create your work schedule. That’s a challenge unique to you. This freedom lets you choose when to work. But beware: it’s easy to get stuck working in your business, not on it. Responding to emails and handling daily tasks is working in your business. To grow, you need to work on your business. That’s on you. Without it, you risk standing still. Here’s my tip: start with a solid daily routine. Spend your best morning hours on your business. Use that time to improve and explore new opportunities. Two hours should do it. After that, tackle the everyday tasks. Balance is essential for growth. Stick to this plan and see your business thrive.
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Gunjan Magar
Bar & Beverage professional
Flexibility is the key when working for yourself. While setting deadlines and planning are important, being adaptable to changes or unexpected situations is equally crucial for long-term success. Likewise setting deadlines when self employed is very important. Being self employed might sometimes make you lazy and not finish the work on time.
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Athina Epeslidou
Business Analyst 🗣️ DE/EN/PL/GR
- When planning your work or workday, allocate around 20% for unexpected topics or tasks taking longer than expected ⌚️ - Utilize effective planning tools and understand which tools generate the most efficient outcomes 🚀
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Engr. Usama shakeel
NEBOSH certified | HSE Engineer | Lean Six sigma Green and Yellow belt | Ex. Asst. Manager Quality | Metallurgist and Material Engineer
Being self employed for a part time job. I keep myself organized by creating clear work hour boundaries with a flexible relaxation within that hour boundaries. So I'll not get burnout and get my work done on time.
The third step is to focus on one thing at a time and avoid multitasking. Multitasking can reduce your productivity, quality, and efficiency, as it can cause you to switch your attention and energy between different tasks, and lose focus and concentration. Instead of trying to do everything at once, you should focus on one task or project at a time, and give it your full attention and effort. You can use a tool like a timer, a blocker, or a reminder to help you stay focused and limit distractions.
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Mohamed Hanafy
Area Trainer at Tim Hortons
First thing first 🥇 Always there is a priority to be done we need to avoid the argent area if it possible Always think for how can you get the more benefit of your time Any thing not important and not argent removed it from your list or hold it
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Amanda Thomas
In pursuit of happiness in everything I do
Focusing on one thing at a time helps confidently complete the task efficiently and timely. It’s hard to loose focus and start the process again - but as soon as you’re back on track it’s a rewarding feeling to complete a project with no interruptions.
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Ashley Khosa
Retail Assistant Manager @ Eskort | Business Administration, Health & Safety
While multitasking can increase productivity, it can also lead to increased stress levels which may result to certain tasks not being completed in time and or not being completed at all. In my experience, writing down the tasks to be done and giving each and everyone of them your full attention and effort, actually leads to the tasks being completed in time. Therefore focusing on one task at a time plays a vital role in increasing productivity.
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Kevin Liao
UMD CS'25 | LinkedIn 6x Top Voice | SWE Intern @ C1 | RA @ UMD ARLIS | Prev @ Freddie Mac | 7-Lang Polyglot | CodePath TF | Mentor @ App Dev Club, The Tech Cadets Team | I help students land SWE roles in tech
Nowadays, it's common for us to face multiple tasks at once (e.g. 2 approaching deadlines), but when we multitask, chances are we don't distribute equal time between them and our efforts may end up backfiring, since the result isn't what we expect. Thus, it's important to prioritize and to focus on one task at a time. Once that task is done, move onto the next one, and repeat that process in a cycle. However, what if we have multiple close deadlines coming up? We're forced to make difficult decisions in this case. For the less important, smaller tasks, perhaps leave them to the side for the time being, and for the most important ones, start with those in your work schedule and make sure you're evenly splitting time between them.
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Amy Schield, MBA
Time management & neuroscience-based mindset coach 🧠 | I help small biz owners & solopreneurs navigate the mental & emotional side of business, so they can get more done & make more money 💥 | Time mgmt = mind mgmt
Set aside blocks of time to work on business growth, and separate time for maintaining operations, serving clients, marketing, etc. Set aside time specifically to respond to calls/emails, so you aren't repeatedly distracted from what you're scheduled to work on.
The fourth step is to take breaks and reward yourself for your achievements. Working for yourself can be demanding and exhausting, and it can affect your physical and mental health. That is why you need to take regular breaks and reward yourself for your hard work. You can use a tool like a pomodoro technique, a meditation app, or a reward system to help you balance your work and rest, and maintain your motivation and well-being. By taking breaks and rewarding yourself, you can recharge your energy, refresh your mind, and celebrate your progress.
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Amy Schield, MBA
Time management & neuroscience-based mindset coach 🧠 | I help small biz owners & solopreneurs navigate the mental & emotional side of business, so they can get more done & make more money 💥 | Time mgmt = mind mgmt
Include white space between time blocks/appointments in your calendar, so you have built-in breaks. Intentionally celebrate big and small wins, progress, and results that excite you. Your brain is naturally wired to point out what's gone wrong and what hasn't yet been achieved, so highlighting wins and progress provides some balance.
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Bhajinder Kaur
Entrepreneur, Artist and Storyteller. Heart centred exploration of art, style, storytelling & wellness for a life of purpose and impact.
Being self employed I have found it to be crucial to take small breaks during each workday. Taking small moments to decompress through breathing or meditation techniques, or finding some time to have a quiet cup of coffee has helped me stay as balanced and focused as possible. I also find it helpful to acknowledge what you are feeling as it arises, and to practice writing down what you are grateful for at the end of the day. This helps put a lot of things into perspective and encourages an attitude of gratitude. This in turn assists in garnering a sense of empowerment and helps maintain a positive mindset. All of which impacts your overall wellbeing, particularly in the long run.
The fifth step is to review and improve your process. Time management is not a one-time activity, but a continuous practice that requires constant monitoring and adjustment. You should regularly review your time management process and evaluate its effectiveness and efficiency. You can use a tool like a feedback form, a survey, or a self-assessment to help you measure your performance and satisfaction, and identify your strengths and weaknesses. By reviewing and improving your process, you can learn from your experience, and make the necessary changes to optimize your results.
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Amy Schield, MBA
Time management & neuroscience-based mindset coach 🧠 | I help small biz owners & solopreneurs navigate the mental & emotional side of business, so they can get more done & make more money 💥 | Time mgmt = mind mgmt
Choose to view time management as an ongoing experiment, not a pass/fail exercise. At the end of each week, look back at your calendar and assess what did/didn't work in terms of: - Planning - Adaptation (i.e., when things don't go as planned) - Balance with personal life/leisure time/health - Mindset management (overwhelm, procrastination, etc) Then, decide what you would like to do differently going into next week. Adopting a weekly review practice helps make time management progressively easier, and tailors your time management system to your business and your life.
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Ashley Khosa
Retail Assistant Manager @ Eskort | Business Administration, Health & Safety
I’m my experience, reviewing your process will help you see how far you’ve come and how far you’re still going. This will help you improve your process especially if you’re behind time. It will also keep you motivated to continue and complete the task effectively.
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Bhajinder Kaur
Entrepreneur, Artist and Storyteller. Heart centred exploration of art, style, storytelling & wellness for a life of purpose and impact.
I find this especially crucial because in my experience being self employed also means that my days vary across different time periods. So, having the capacity to adjust and accept some level of flexibility is important to ensuring I manage my time well. This means I need to regularly review and adjust my time management strategies according to the circumstances that are most prevalent at the time. For example, my schedule looks extremely different when I’m designing a new collection compared to the actual launch period. This requires me to manage my time differently in order to fully optimise my time.
The sixth and final step is to seek support and guidance from others. Working for yourself can be lonely and challenging, and it can make you feel isolated and overwhelmed. That is why you need to seek support and guidance from other self-employed professionals, mentors, coaches, or peers. You can use a tool like a network, a community, or a mentorship program to help you connect with others who share your goals, challenges, and interests. By seeking support and guidance, you can benefit from their advice, feedback, and encouragement, and grow your skills and confidence.
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Amy Schield, MBA
Time management & neuroscience-based mindset coach 🧠 | I help small biz owners & solopreneurs navigate the mental & emotional side of business, so they can get more done & make more money 💥 | Time mgmt = mind mgmt
Be intentional about the personal and professional relationships you want to foster as part of your support network. You can do this by keeping a list of people you want to stay connected with, and committing to schedule a coffee or other meeting once per week with someone on the list. Additionally, it's important to identify people you can trust to talk candidly with about your business struggles and successes. Whether it's a mentor, family member, or an entrepreneur who isn't in direct contribution, it's good to have an outlet, so you don't have to hold everything in. Finally, a business coach or life coach is another great option for support and guidance for those who are self-employed.
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Ben Sexton
FHA Underwriting Analyst at Greystone
Seeking support is key in the journey of self-employment. Connect with fellow professionals, mentors, or peers through networks and communities to share goals and challenges. Utilizing mentorship programs provides valuable advice, feedback, and encouragement, fostering both skill growth and confidence in navigating the unique challenges of working for yourself. The one tip that helped me grow my skills and experience was simply asking for help when you need it. It is a humbling experience at first, but you learn to realize that individuals are more like to help then say no.
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