It’s 6 pm and you’re exhausted. Your day was crazy, one thing after another. You worked hard all day, but suddenly it hits you; you have no idea what you actually accomplished. How can it be that you’ve run yourself ragged but you haven’t even completed one task on your to-do list?
You need to get organized. Have you ever considered using a time map? A time map is like a budget of your time. For many of us, our time is just as valuable as our money, so it makes sense to budget it in the same way. When you create a time map, you make a list of all of your tasks and determine when you will tackle each one and how much time you will devote to it.
Here are three ways that time mapping can help you run your business and your life:
Prioritize. Without a time map, it is easy to lose sight of your priorities. You often end up doing whichever task seems the most urgent at that particular moment, instead of focusing on those that are most important to the success of your business. When you have a time map, you can make smart and deliberate decisions about the way that you spend your time, and it is easier for you to say no if something does not fit in with your schedule.
Reduce Stress. When you are confident that the way that you are spending your time is consistent with your priorities, you feel less stressed. Since you see yourself getting things done, you don’t feel the need to rush around. You may be surprised at how much more relaxed you feel when you’re organized.
Add Clarity. When you see your schedule on paper, you can clearly tell how much time (if any) you have available for new projects. This prevents you from over-committing yourself. Also, it gives you a good understanding of exactly where your time is going. If you are spending a lot of time with one particular client, and they are not a substantial source of revenue, then you may want to consider dropping them. You may also identify other ways that you are not running your schedule as efficiently as you could be.
As an entrepreneur, you should have more control over how you spend your time than you would if you were working for someone else. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always feel that way. Take control and make that freedom work for you instead of against you. Keep it simple and be flexible; some days it’s just not possible to stay on schedule, so just roll with it. Take it one day at a time and know that the next time you ask yourself, “Where did the day go?” you’ll have an answer!
Maria Locker is the Founder and CEO of Mompreneur Showcase Group, the trusted national network that supports, educates, and empowers moms in business across Canada. With close to 20 satellite locations in Ontario, supportive networking groups are expanding to other provinces to connect business women everywhere from East to West.
