Entrepreneurs often have their hands full during the holiday season, the time of the year when businesses realize their biggest revenues due to the unprecedented volume of shoppers flooding the malls and Internet in search of great deals. It can be difficult to balance the desire to attend to the business while still making family memories during the holiday. Shrewd time management is more critical than ever during the holidays—especially for business owners.
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Time Management
Time management is the process of taking control of the amount of time you spend on a specific activity, with an end goal of increasing effectiveness, productivity, and efficiency. Time management is aimed to maximize the benefits of an activity within the bounds of a limited time frame. Time management originally found its application in the business setting, but it is now applied to all aspects of human activities.
Time Management is Planning
Time is an important resource that must be efficiently utilized. It must be handled with the same care we give to financial investments and other assets. Time, just like cash, can be budgeted, setting aside a particular portion for a specific purpose. Time management is especially critical for business owners who may be tugged at relentlessly by a litany of different demands.
Time is limited, so planning is essential. Use a daily planner. There’s no shame in sticking to an old-fashioned paper planner, but opt for a planning app on your phone if you prefer it. The planner that is best for you is the one you’ll use. Put a priority order on your tasks. Tackle top priorities each day, and don’t be frustrated if you need to roll the second-tier tasks over to the next day. (Flexibility can help ward off frustration.) Check your planner regularly, checking off finished tasks and transferring others to subsequent days.
Splitting Time
An entrepreneur can and should carefully split his or her time between work and family and be productive at both. When you’re home—be fully home. “Unplug” and focus on family relationships. When you’re at work, work quickly and efficiently, but don’t feel guilty about setting work aside at the end of the day to go home to your family. You’ll return recharged and ready to tackle another day.
