How do you manage your time?

[gambit]

Last year, I've posted 'how do you manage your e-mail' because I've been receiving 200 to 400 emails per day and took some of the advice and suggestions.

Now, I'm trying to manage my businesses. I have condo rent, internet businesses, & career to manage. It seems on going. Although I can implement, I just want to be able to have time to go out and do some marketing, not just on an internet based marketing.

So how do you manage yours? do you use PDAs, web apps calendar, e-mails, and etc..?

How do you seperate projects? Do you give 1 hour each? or you finish one project at a time?

[Outta Hand]

Hello,

I manage my time by delegation really. I work a real job and when i am off i am working on my business, myself, and my life.

I don't really have a set formula for doing this but it seems to work. I also don't try to over-accomplish in the shortrun and if i catch myself doing so i try to slow it down. I don't have a planner just a wonderful memory that doesn't let me down.

I take it all in stride personally. I workout which actually gives me more energy in the off hours, and i give myself breaks too. Afterall Rome wasn't built in a day.

I've set goals for my personal life, business life and career that are a attainable and i work towards them.

Didn't read the post on the email issue but i am going to look for it now and see what was said. Talk soon and cheers

[evolvingentrepreneur]

PlanPlus for Outlook from Franklin Covey.

It's Awesome!

[Dus10]

I don't.

Okay, here is how to manage your time. Divide all of your tasks into two categories: high priority and low priority. Then, break your neck to get everything done in both categories, or you are a loser.

Seriously, just come up with a system. There are books on time management, there are software packages. The first thing is to come out with a benchmark. Start tracking what you do. Then, determine what you can change. Use a spreadsheet.

[jimmiejo]

I've used a Day Timer for the past year and it's worked great. Most organization software isn't portable and takes much more time than jotting a note in your organizer.

Make a list of what needs to be done for the day, allot an amount of time for each task and break down the actions needed to complete the task.

works everytime.

[gambit]

Good advice guys! I'm following Steven Coveys 7 habits of succesful people. I think it is habit number 3, "put first thinks first" Put it all on 4 quadrants.

Yes, I do work out. I go to gym 4 times a week, one hour each. Take supplements and watch what I eat. It does help me a lot.

I just need to a system. Daily book doesn't work on me as well as PDA. However, I use web calendar. I just set up the date and will email me automatically when the time reaches. I redirect my e-mail to my cell phone. Even if I'm on the road, I can recieve my e-mail right away. I setup my e-mail so that spam won't be able to reach my cell.

There's only one problem. I can't decide which one is high priority. What I usually do is whenever the money is involve, thats my high priority. i.e. bills, mortgage payments, investment, and deals with clients. When it comes to client, I prioritize the client with highest money involve. Of course my job still the highest priority but I created the system on my job that everything is automated. Shhh.... my boss don't know that.

What do you guys think of this procedure?

[Jacqueline]

There's this quote by someone somewhere...I don't remember. It says "You Manage Your Life by Managing Your Time". I think it does make a lot of sense.
Well, there are times that we caught up with certain things....it can be simple things like deciding what to eat, what to wear, what to do when you're free and things like that. But simple things like these consume lots of times. If you can save these wasted times, then you'll be able to have an extra hour to do the things you want.
I manage my life by keeping myself healthy. When I'm healthy, I have the energy to do many things quicker. Besides, I also need lesser sleep if I'm healthy and energetic.
Other than being healthy, I have checklists and To Do List prepared. It might sound silly but I got this suggestion from a book "Bring Out The Magic In Your Mind" by Al Koran. It suggested us to have lists of the clothes we want to wear from monday to friday, so each time we don't have to stand and stare at the cupboard, thinking what we should wear for the day. It saves 5 minutes everyday.
Before you start your day, take at least five minutes to plan for the day. what you're going to do and complete today, where you're going for lunch later, what you're going to eat, whom you're going with and things like this. Well, you might think "I love to be flexible. I want to be able to decide when the time comes." Yes indeed....but what if you waste the time on deciding? When you have a checklist or a plan for the day, you can always alter it depending on the situation. If a friend comes up to you and say "hey let's go starbucks for a coffee" when you planned to go Coffee Bean, then tag along. But what if this friend ask you "i need to talk to you. can u suggest where should we go?" then you'll be thinking...ya know....
Well, those are just my simple suggestions. maybe most of you have thought about it too. it can be a reminder from me. have a great day!!!

[gambit]

Jacqueline,

That's a great advice!!! the bottom line, I have to be more detailed about my todo list and planning. Never thought of that. Thanks!

[BetterEdit.com]

I generally have too much time on my hands, but that's the way I like it. It seems that a lot of entrepreneur's are super busy, working 100 hour weeks is the norm. Worst of all people reinforce this as the norm with societal conditioning like the harder you work the better the results you will achieve. While this can be true it doesn't necessarily make you happier.

This is how I work - I complete about 2-4 hours of productive computer business work in the morning when I first get up. I process jobs, arrange meetings, respond to emails, do website updates, marketing - all of this in a very productive morning period. By early afternoon though I've had enough and there is no point forcing myself to work, especially because I "ought too" because that's what people say leads to success. I may do simpler work tasks throughout the afternoon but I certainly don't feel guilty if I take an afternoon off to go for a swim or watch a movie. I basically work when I get the urge to and manage my time based on motivation.

I prefer to work smart and realise my own limits. If any of you have read any books on the 80/20 rule then you will understand what I'm talking about. I recently made a post about this in my blog which you might be interested to read - http://www.betteredit.com/blog/archi..._time_out.html

I feel that I'm working a lot smarter this way and my results are great (so far I've brought in $10,400 in sales in April alone through Internet businesses). I'm relaxed about work, not stressed about deadlines or I berating myself about not working hard enough.

[Dus10]

Gambit,

What kind of work do you do, that you have automated. I have really been trying to go down that road myself... considering that I work full-time, go to school full-time, I am working on starting a venture, and I am married with three kids. If I could sneak in some studying or work on my own ventures a little here and there, that would be great. The key is getting the job done, and as long as that happens, I would not feel bad about it.

[Outta Hand]

Hey Yaro,

Yeah i think the reason some entrepreneurs work 100 hrs a week is because they love it; what they do, that is. I like to say "Work Smarter and not Harder". After all you've gotta live! and have some fun and time to breathe.

Well you must be doing something right to make a 10,000 a month profit. I am totally in agreement with the 80/20 rule. I have put it into practice recently (about a month ago) and so far i've done a lot by procrastinating at times. I've done the following.

- Setup a corporate entity
- got a vendor permit
- applied to a large IT supplier
- application approved
- hiring a web developer

Now keep in mind i currently work fulltime. But it works and you feel good because you aren't over-stressing yourself.

Originally posted by BetterEdit.com
I generally have too much time on my hands, but that's the way I like it. It seems that a lot of entrepreneur's are super busy, working 100 hour weeks is the norm. Worst of all people reinforce this as the norm with societal conditioning like the harder you work the better the results you will achieve. While this can be true it doesn't necessarily make you happier.

This is how I work - I complete about 2-4 hours of productive computer business work in the morning when I first get up. I process jobs, arrange meetings, respond to emails, do website updates, marketing - all of this in a very productive morning period. By early afternoon though I've had enough and there is no point forcing myself to work, especially because I "ought too" because that's what people say leads to success. I may do simpler work tasks throughout the afternoon but I certainly don't feel guilty if I take an afternoon off to go for a swim or watch a movie. I basically work when I get the urge to and manage my time based on motivation.

I prefer to work smart and realise my own limits. If any of you have read any books on the 80/20 rule then you will understand what I'm talking about. I recently made a post about this in my blog which you might be interested to read - http://www.betteredit.com/blog/archi..._time_out.html

I feel that I'm working a lot smarter this way and my results are great (so far I've brought in $10,400 in sales in April alone through Internet businesses). I'm relaxed about work, not stressed about deadlines or I berating myself about not working hard enough.

[BetterEdit.com]

I'd say procrastination is one of the number one enemies of an entrepreneur. It's so easy to sit on the web and do other things instead of something important towards your business (does posting on these forums count?). If I find myself procrastinating, which is usually on the computer, I get up and do something non-computer related. When procrastinating I'm not in a motivated state in which case it's best to go offline for a while to refresh.

If your business is an online business then you have to spend a lot of time online. But there's always something you can do offline towards your business - network meetings, offline marketing such as cold calls or flyer drops, semninars, conventions, read a paper book.

[asam87]

I encourage everyone to read this if they have the time (pun intended)

This article is great, also motivational:

http://www.dexterity.com/articles/do-it-now.htm

[BetterEdit.com]

Great article asam87.

The author seems like a bit of freak though. I admire his focus but it sounds like he's a bit *too* driven. Well worth the read though.

[Dus10]

A book book on the subject is "Time Management for Entreprenuers," by Dan Kennedy. This book is extreme! You will certainly not want to go as far as this guy, but it gives you plenty of methods to use... and you can always take it easy on their implementation.