Use Your Time Productively
Small business owners have a lot to do, with very little wiggle room. So it’s crucial to know how to use your time productively. That probably makes you think of hacks and shortcuts which can be great, but one of the best foundational things you can do is to know when you are at your peak for which tasks and activities.
A few years ago, I read the book “When: the scientific secrets of perfect timing” by Daniel Pink.
I found the science of timing to be fascinating. Tuning in to when your mindset is most positive or when your energy is high or low can help you strategically plan your day to get the most bang out of your time buck.
Yet our first reaction to the freedom of working for ourselves is to throw aside anything previously restrictive, like schedules, expectations, and protocols. Having no schedule, framework, or boundaries around time and how you use it can really affect both your personal and professional life, and not in the best way.
I have noticed many things about how the time of day and day of the week impact my mood, energy, and mental capacity as my business has evolved. I have not only made many changes to my own schedule, I am aware of these things with my clients and can make suggestions based on the experiences of everyone I have worked with.
Why, how, and what you do counts, but WHEN you do certain things can have a huge impact on productivity and results. Here are some examples of what I learned about myself.
I am a morning person
I need morning time to work on focused tasks, so I won’t schedule any meetings until after 10 am. For me, that fresh morning time is best used to complete writing projects or complex planning.
I have a daily, second “creative” wind
The late afternoon is great idea-generating time for me. It’s easy then for me to grab them from my brain and get them down on paper. Then the next morning I can flesh out the details. It’s a wonderful time for mind mapping.
I can’t work when I tired
Even if I’m excited about a new project or something interesting that I’m working on, when my brain shuts down, it’s over. I have to walk away from my desk and continue the next day.
Friday morning is quitting time
Once I hit late morning on Fridays, my capacity for brainstorming or idea creation has come to an end. I can handle meetings and tidying up any unfinished business from the week, but any big stuff has to wait until Monday morning.
Speaking of Mondays
I like to ease into the week with meetings so I have more of a schedule after a weekend of unstructured time. I’m not ready for a blank canvas with no time boundaries. I love to dive in to a clear day for some deeper project work on Tuesday or Wednesday.
And the first day after things like vacations or long holiday weekends are the same. It’s tempting to try and jump back in after some “r and r”, ready to hit the ground running, but that just invites you to crash and burn on your first day back.
Say no to weekend work
It’s rare that I feel the pressure to work on the weekend, but it never goes well when I try. My brain and body need down time. So I use my weekends to relax and refresh.
Creating healthy boundaries and productive scheduling “rules” move you closer to your end goal. The more you get to know yourself and how you work best, the more control you’ll have over how you use your time. Saying you’re going to do something on a certain day or at a certain time, when you know that’s not going to happen will be a thing of the past.
My clients get clear on when is the best time to do what when once they commit to a weekly planning practice, especially when it’s part of my Close the Gap group program. I help my clients tune into their personal timing rhythms and figure out when to do what they do best.
Ready to maximize the science of your timing? Learn more about my group here.
P.S. Ready to stop spinning in place and get to the other side of your goals? Here are several ways I can help:
Download my free weekly planning guide - it will help you become more intentional with your time, develop a clear action plan for your week, and ensure that you are focusing on activities that will move your business forward - Download Now
Join our next CEO Power Planning Session and spend two and a half hours ON your business. During this facilitated workshop, you’ll set and prioritize your next 12-week goals, break them down into an executable action plan and create a resource plan - Join the Wait List
Apply for the next Close the Gap Program and stay on track to achieve your most important goals. 1:1 support and guidance on prioritizing goals, creating a plan and putting structure and routines in place. Then 12 weeks of group support around execution. - Apply today