Time-Management Strategies for Solopreneurs: Part 2

Minimizing interruptions and distractions and implementing simple business systems will help you use your time wisely and get more done

BY AMBER DE LA GARZA

Running a business is no easy task. Just ask There are few things more disappointing than having a scheduled anyone who has gone the extra mile of starting block of time to work on a big project, free from distractions and a business instead of just dreamed of starting interruptions, and you simply cannot stay focused. The key, then, is one. Running a business as a team of one is an to identify the exact environment that you focus and work best in even harder task because you are forced to fill and re-create that environment whenever possible. That may mean the roles of numerous positions—whether you facing a wall rather than a window, having classical music playing are qualified to fill them or not. Taking on so many roles demands softly in the background, keeping all paper far from your desk or a lot of commitment, research, energy and your most precious using a standing desk. You are unique and so is the way you work resource: time. That is why it is so important to invest your time best. Lean into it. wisely. In part two of this series, we break down four more timemanagement strategies that work for solopreneurs. CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS YOUR FOCUS When was the last time you were working so diligently that a bomb going off wouldn’t have fazed you? Where were you sitting? MINIMIZE PESKY DISTRACTIONS Creating an environment that supports your focus is important, but your effort is totally wasted if you constantly allow distractions to pull you out of your focused zone. That’s because succumbing to small distractions adds up to giant gaps in productivity. 21 What were you hearing? What was the temperature in your office? There are two main kinds of distractions you should focus on When had you last eaten and what? What were you wearing? All of minimizing: internal and external. Internal distractions occur when those factors and many more contribute to your ability or inability you shift your focus from one task to another, such as giving in to to focus. And when you block out time to work on your high-value the temptation to check your social media account during work activities, you want to be able to get into your zone of focus as hours. External distractions are disruptions you are aware of but quickly as possible so you can power through your tasks efficiently do not directly involve you, such as loud construction being done and effectively, then move on to your next high-value activity. across the street, kids running through your office or the phone ringing.

To combat internal distractions, work on each task for a predetermined, manageable amount of time. Start with 15 minutes devoted to no internal distractions, then increase to 20 minutes. Take a short break at the end of each time block and use those few minutes to check social media, grab coffee or buy supplies— activities that you otherwise would have kept thinking about if you had not scheduled time specifically for them. Continue increasing the length of your time blocks until you find your optimal block of focused work time.

To reduce external distractions, turn off all unnecessary notifications that tend to disrupt concentration. If you are unaware your phone just received a text or a follower just commented on your post, you will not be zapped out of your focus zone. If you know there will be construction across the street for a few days, grab your laptop and work elsewhere if you can, or wear noise-canceling headphones.

MANAGE INTERRUPTIONS EFFECTIVELY Interruptions are another big focus disruptor and time waster. Interruptions occur when a person purposefully draws your attention away from the task or activity you are currently working 3 on. The average office worker is interrupted 73 times a day! While a solopreneur may experience fewer interruptions from bosses and co-workers, you certainly still deal with them. While controlling colleagues, clients, vendors and kids is not possible, managing interruptions is because you can control how you make yourself available to them.

To better manage colleague interruptions, post open office hours on your closed door. If needed, express to trespassers that these are the only hours you are available for questions, concerns or chitchat. Similarly, you can set up a voicemail message and an auto-reply in your email account to let clients know that you will get back to them promptly during business hours, so they do not keep trying to contact you using different methods.

To help your kids respect your boundaries when working from home, schedule regular times to meet their needs and give them the attention they so desire. A statement like “Mommy can’t right now, but if you don’t come in this room again, I will come out and play potato heads with you for 10 minutes when the kitchen clock says 2 p.m.” can go a long way toward keeping your 5-year-old out of your hair.

To curtail vendor interruptions, schedule deliveries during specified times of the day and implement a new policy that vendors must schedule an appointment to meet with you. Express your request in advance and place a sign outside your door saying “Private work time. Please schedule an appointment.”

IMPLEMENT SIMPLE BUSINESS SYSTEMS Slowing down to implement simple yet effective business systems will help you accomplish your repetitive tasks with more efficiency and free up time to focus on high-value tasks such as prospecting, 4 serving your clients and business development.

A great place to get your feet wet is creating checklists. The benefits of checklists are numerous, but, most importantly, they tell you what needs to be done and in what order, so you don’t have to waste time thinking about what to do next. When you utilize checklists, your work will also be more consistent and you will make fewer errors. You can use checklists for just about any task you do on a recurring basis, such as planning an event, leading a meeting, onboarding a client, posting to social media and invoicing. You simply need to succinctly document each step you do in the proper order so you can follow the checklist easily any time you need to complete that task. Embolden, italicize and underline words and phrases that you want to emphasize for clarity within your checklists.

Once you become adept at using checklists consistently and are ready to implement more business systems, take a stab at creating templates, workflows and standard operating procedures to level up your efficiency even more.

Being a one-person show in business is a huge undertaking that can be more stressful than rewarding at times. Your entrepreneurial journey will surely be full of varied challenges as well, but using personalized time-management strategies will equip you to tackle many of them. Use these ideas to help you reduce stress, enable focus, maximize time and, ultimately, increase your profits. V

Amber De La Garza, aka The Productivity Specialist, is a sought-after coach, trainer, speaker, writer, host of the “Productivity Straight Talk” podcast and creator of the S.T.O.P. Leverage Formula. She helps small business owners improve their time management and elevate their productivity to maximize profits, reduce stress and make time for what matters most.

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