Realistic Time Management When Running a Home Based Business

[Kalyan]

Realistic Time Management When Running a Home Based Business

Better time management would be so beneficial to many of us hard working people trying to run a home based business. It used to be that work and home were two easily separated parts of lives.

Thanks to the internet, it is possible for just about anyone to work from home and earn a full-time living. The problem is, the hard line between or work life and home life becomes terribly blurry, and it is difficult to decide when to do what. As a full-time freelance writer, and a married woman, I know how difficult it can be.

The key to effective time management when working from home consists of three major things: Being realistic, being flexible, and fighting procrastination.

Realistic Time Management

In my experience, I have found that I am an exceptionally good planner. Or, at least I think so. I can create the perfect schedule, and I will just know that all I have to do is follow it, and I will get everything done and more. Effective time management, however, is a lot more than being able to fit everything you want to do on a piece of paper. Planning is a huge part of effective time management, but it must be realistic.

A realistic schedule takes several things into account. You need to spend time working, eating, sleeping, doing chores, running errands, and spending time with family. It is good to map out which day you will spend time doing each thing. It is unrealistic to assume that all of these things can be done, with quality, in a single day. To create a realistic schedule, you have to think in terms of weeks and months. Here are some pointers for creating a realistic schedule.

-Create a list for the month. Write down all of the major things that you would like to do for a particular month. You can break it down better if you think in terms of long term goals.

-Create a list for the week, and at night, or first thing in the morning, you can pick two to three items from your weekly to do list to tackle on a particular day.

-Breaking up bigger tasks, like a project or the total sum or household chores, will help things seem more manageable, and they will be. For example, if I need to write ten pages by the end of the week, I can plan to write 2 pages per day. This also leaves room to take care of other things that I need to do.

Flexibility: The Missing Time Management Skill

One of the drawbacks of being such a "skilled planner" has been my lack of flexibility. It is extremely difficult to accommodate the unexpected. If, for example, I plan out exactly how to get a major project done, there is often little or no room for anything else. Schedules need to have flexibility. Really tight schedules are unrealistic. Here are some pointers on creating a flexible schedule.

-Think about the "what if." If you have a plan to do certain things at a certain time, make an alternate plan to cover yourself in case of an unexpected distraction, event, or problem.

-Consider basic needs. Make sure that your schedule makes time for eating, sleeping, commuting, and relationships. These things take time, and you should make sure that you have space in your schedule for them. Taking care of yourself, and loved ones, is crucial to fulfilling success. I say "fulfilling success," because you can have success at the expense of your health and relationships, which to me is not worth it. You can't be fulfilled without your health and loved ones around you.

-Don't be afraid to reschedule. I suggest using a computer to create your schedule. It is easy to make changes that way. If you are a pen and paper type person, keep white-out around or use a pencil. Things will come up, at least sometimes. Rearrange things to accommodate for things that come up. Don't feel guilty if you have to do this a lot. Having a plan can ease your stress, and if you make changes to it, you can actually avoid missing important deadlines, appointments, and other engagements.

The key to time management flexibility is not falling apart if you aren't able to follow your schedule exactly. The ability to change the plans that you made and adapt is just as important as creating a plan in the first place.

The Time Management Enemy: Procrastination

I don't know anyone who hasn't struggled with procrastination at one point or another. I am still learning to consider it an enemy. In order to be successful, you have to defeat it. Planning and making an effort to follow a schedule is one step in overcoming it. Here are some other things that you can do to bring down the enemy of procrastination.

-Get started as soon as you know what you need to do. If you can cross off a small item or two on your list right away, do it. Creating a habit of jumping into whatever it is that you need to do without giving it too much thought can help you be more productive.

-Aim higher. Don't try to simply get things done on time. Aim to get things done ahead of time. For example, if I have a deadline that is seven days from today, I will aim to finish in 5 or 6 days. This keeps me from wasting time, because once that project is out of the way, I can get ahead on another project. This is a lot better than turning things in at the last minute, and I can take care of two projects instead of one within the time frame.

-Do the things you least enjoy first. Use the things that you love to do as a motivation to get through the less appealing tasks of your day.

If you plan realistically, stay flexible, and fight procrastination. You will be more productive and therefore, earn more money. You will be less stressed, and more successful. Keep those time management skills sharp, and run your business, and life, well!