There are just 24 hours, 1,440 minutes or 86,000 seconds in a day.

As an entrepreneur, time is your most valuable resource.

Each day, you need to hit the ground running and do your best work, all while managing a plethora of personal and family responsibilities. It’s no wonder that many entrepreneurs complain that “there aren’t enough hours in the day.”

You can’t change the time clock, or create more time out of thin air, as much as you would probably like to.

What you CAN do is implement strategies to align the time you spend working with your actions and your goals. By doing so, you’ll produce better results and enjoy greater work-life balance.

Here are 3 time management strategies you can use to make the most of your most valuable resource.

Strategy #1: Learn to “Chunk” Your Time.

One of the key reasons people procrastinate starting a task or allow themselves to get distracted while working on a task is because the task is daunting. They fear that they will fail at the task or simply struggle to complete it.

When you have to undertake an important, challenging task or project, you may feel so overwhelmed by the pressure that you either delay getting started altogether or procrastinate by allowing yourself to become distracted by social media, emails, or phone calls. Sound familiar?

I teach my clients the importance of breaking large, daunting tasks down into small, more manageable tasks tackled in 20-minute time “chunks” or increments. Doing so will empower you to have the confidence to face tough tasks head on, knowing that you will have a break to recharge and refocus if necessary.

Celeste’s Time Management Action Challenge:

Identify an important task that you have been avoiding but need to tackle. Situate yourself in a quiet environment and set a 20-minute timer. Until the timer rings, give that task your undivided attention. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted or switch tasks during this time period.

Knowing that you only have to focus for 20 minutes should make it easier for you to resist the urge to shift your attention. When the timer rings, take a short break if you feel you need one, then repeat the process until you have completed your task.

Strategy #2: Ask Yourself – Do My Actions Reflect My Core Values?

Using your time “wisely” or “effectively” means ensuring that your actions bring you closer to achieving that which you set out to achieve in your personal and professional life.

In order to ensure that time works for you rather than against you, you need to align your actions with your core values, the values that guide your internal conduct and how you relate to the world. When your actions reflect your values, everything you do will bring you one step closer to achieving your goals and provide a sense of fulfillment and achievement.

Celeste’s Time Management Action Challenge:

Take a few moments right now to evaluate whether your actions bring you closer or farther away from reaching your goals. Let’s say you have a goal of spending 10 minutes meditating each morning so that you can start each day with greater focus and clarity of purpose. When you mediate, it helps you recharge and have a more productive day. Unfortunately, you find days and even weeks passing without this goal being met. Your actions aren’t reflecting your values.

To re-align your actions with your values, you need to eliminate distractions that pull you away from your intended task. In this case, you can create an environment conducive to meditating by closing your door, putting up a “Do Not Disturb” sign, and setting your phone on silent. These small action steps help bring you closer to achieving the goals that reflect your core values.

I encourage my clients to take a few minutes each week to:

• Make sure you have clarity about the things you value most in life by asking “What do I really want?”
• Eliminate activities in your schedule that aren’t closely connected to your goals and values
• Regularly evaluate whether your actions align with your values and identify strategies that will help you reach your goals

Strategy #3: Learn the Value of Saying No.

By and large, successful entrepreneurs are passionate, enthusiastic people who are energized by new opportunities. Embracing challenges and being open to opportunities that come your way can be advantageous, but not when doing so comes at the expense of you being able to achieve your goals.

Many of the entrepreneurs I have worked with have shared with me that the reason they are so overwhelmed with their schedule or “to do” list is that they have a hard time saying no. When opportunities present themselves, they take them on out of fear that they will either miss out or be rejected or judged for failing to step up to the plate.

Have you ever felt a nagging internal voice tell you that you’re making the wrong decision by accepting another responsibility? When that happens, you’re saying yes against your better judgment. Don’t be afraid to say no to opportunities that compromise your values or take you away from time dedicated to the activities and people that matter most to you.

Celeste’s Time Management Action Challenge:

If you are accustomed to constantly saying yes to everyone and everything, you have to develop the ability to say no, just as you practice other important new skills. One strategy I teach my Celeste Giordano Coaching clients is to recall a time in your life when you reluctantly said yes to something you knew would be difficult for you, and immediately regretted it. Reflect on the emotional stress that your yes decision caused you. Maybe accepting a responsibility made you feel overwhelmed because you already had too much on your plate. Or perhaps you felt resentful toward the person who asked you to fulfill the responsibility.

Before you say yes, stop and reflect on whether you’re experiencing a gut feeling telling you that you’ll regret your decision. Saying no isn’t always easy or comfortable, but I can promise you this: It’s easier to muster up the strength to say no than to say yes and suffer the consequences of that decision.

The Road to Personal and Professional Fulfillment

Mastering time management strategies will empower you to lead a more productive, prosperous and profitable life. And make no mistake about it: time management doesn’t begin and end with workplace responsibilities. Those who successfully manage their time as business leaders also enjoy happier, more fulfilling personal lives.

These are the strategies and skills I teach my Celeste Giordano Coaching clients so they can make the most out of their time both in and out of the office. Contact me today to become a master of your time so you can “double plus” your income THIS year and create a life you love.

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Celeste Giordano’s mission is to help business owners develop the skills, knowledge and attitude necessary to “DoublePlusTM” their income and become effective and inspirational leaders in their fields. Whether it’s taking your successful business to the next level or starting a new venture, she will teach you the exact skills and strategies you need to enroll more quality prospects, build a rock-solid team, and break through obstacles to achieve real profit and lasting success. Celeste is a professional business growth specialist, a master sales strategist, and dynamic speaker with more than 40 years experience in direct sales and managing high-performing teams.

To learn more about Celeste, click here.

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