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RISING WOMEN EXPERT ADVICE...

I run a homebased business where I wear pretty much all the hats. Can you give me advice on time management?

When wearing more than one “hat”, being well organized and more importantly, sticking to the plan is crucial. Following are some simple regimes that work great.

1) By the Month - Before the start of each month I make a list of what needs to be accomplished. In my daytimer, I highlight, using different colored highlighters, specific days and/or time slots for specific tasks. For instance, if I have a tradeshow scheduled for the third weekend of the month, I first make a list of what needs to be done to prepare for the show. A week and a half before the show I choose a specific day (highlighted in blue) to do the running around, such as picking up display items and other supplies, creating any marketing materials needed and/or sending projects out to get printed (banners, handouts, extra business cards). I also block out a specific time or day (also highlighted in blue) for say, packing the Jeep with everything needed for the show. With these specific days and times highlighted in blue, I know that I will only concentrate on tradeshow tasks during these days or times. For the rest of the monthly tasks, I literally set the day or times needed and give each project a specific highlighted color...and I stick to the plan!

2) By the Week - At the beginning of the week, I make a list of what needs to be done that week. In my daytimer, I plan the days and times that make the most sense for completing these tasks. This is very important. For instance, my general weekly projects include administration (billing, bookkeeping, banking), sales (follow-ups, coldcalling, meetings) and design/editing work. Mondays, for me, are an excellent day to tie up the administration. Tuesdays and Thursdays are perfect for sales, but only for follow-ups and coldcalling, so I know that I am in the office on these days. I leave Wednesdays and Fridays for these types of sales as well but I also keep them open for booking appointments outside of the office. My Friday afternoons are always booked for design work and editing...and I stick to the plan!

3) By the Day - In my experience, this is most important time management regime for success. At the end of every day I make a list of what needs to be accomplished, in order of importance, for the next day. From this list I set specific time periods to get them done...and I stick to the plan!

If you make it a personal policy to refuse to get sidetracked during the specific time/days you set, you will soon discover the great satisfaction to wearing more than one hat!

Written by Illiki Rai, owner of Rising Women Magazine. For more advice on time management, email our panel of Experts at experts@risingwomen.com 

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