New entrepreneurs start their startups, and suddenly, they find themselves overwhelmed by tasks that they did not plan. This can have a negative impact on your health. You can either travel back in history or learn better time management skills. Successful global business consultant and business analyst Ann Marie Puig offers time management tips to busy founders of startups.
It’s likely that you are overwhelmed by work because you believe you should do everything. Castillo says inefficiency is more common the more we exert effort. Therefore, we should only focus on essential tasks. “Define the tasks that you excel at,” explains Puig. “You should focus on selling-oriented issues if you have a business profile. Instead of focusing on the design if you are the only one capable of it, instead focus on it.”
You’ll be able to apply the first point effectively. You may not be as proficient at certain tasks as others. You can take advantage of this opportunity to assign them to other people. This will not only save you time but also improve the quality of your work and increase employee morale.
They will feel more useful and have more autonomy if they take responsibility. Don’t forget to remind your team members what the goals are. It is important that your team members understand why you are assigning them this task and what you expect.
Prioritizing is not an easy task. Sometimes we mistakenly believe that the most urgent thing should be the most important. We also make mistakes when we leave behind activities that we don’t think are urgent enough and do not give them the time they deserve.
It may seem difficult to believe that there are different ways of dividing priorities. You should also remember that your concentration level changes from greater to lesser, so don’t abandon the more difficult tasks.
It is not humanly possible to work eight hours on the same task. You will be able to maintain a high level of concentration and better group performance if you break down your activities into smaller, more manageable chunks. Agile project management methods are an effective way to organize your time and increase productivity. SCRUM is a common model in the startup world.
You will be able to easily move between the various applications technology provides for better time management if you work at a startup. One of the greatest advantages of such applications is the ability to dynamize meetings via effective internal communication. Puig explains that this will allow you to optimize your time organizing meetings.
Despite some arguing otherwise, the myth of “octopus man,” as it is commonly known, does not exist. Practically, we can do multiple things simultaneously, but not as efficiently as a cephalopod. We can reduce our productivity by trying to do multiple tasks simultaneously. It is obvious that you can reduce your productivity by 40% by trying to complete multiple tasks at once.
A way to manage your time and organize your work is to set aside specific days each week to complete certain tasks. You will be able to focus more on each task and avoid confusing them. On Mondays and Wednesdays, you can concentrate on development issues, while Tuesdays and Thursdays can be devoted to business issues such as customer visits, sales, and so on. On Fridays, you can plan your strategies.
You will eventually have to learn how to say no. We have always said that our time is precious and we don’t always have enough to do everything we want. This is particularly difficult, considering how we try to be kind and good-willed with others. However, it is important to learn to decline offers if you are not able to fulfill their demands. External influences can be a distraction, but your priorities should always be first.
They claim modern society cannot live without them. You will be an entrepreneur and founder of a startup, so you’ll always be in the loop about what is happening on the social network and in the business world. Sometimes, however, it can prove counterproductive if you don’t think through the implications.
Use social media during your work hours only for the essential things that will impact your business. For example, a CEO’s or founder’s view on an ongoing project is vital to many users. You’ll have time to do everything else outside of work.
Sometimes we forget to exist when we have so much work ahead of ourselves. We work to live, not to work. Spending time with you should not be considered secondary. Spend your time exercising and eliminating toxins. Instead, spend your time relaxing and enjoying the things you love. Puig concludes, “This will help you regain your energy, improve your concentration, and lower your tension so that you can perform better at work.”
