Time-Management Tips for Solopreneurs
Setting your own schedule, unlimited income potential, and sipping piña coladas on the beach while working from your laptop is perhaps the vision you had in mind when you became a solopreneur.
What you likely discovered, however, is that you quickly traded your 9-to-5 for a never-ending to-do list, a coffee shop office, and a big question mark when you think of when you’ll actually be able to take time off — let alone afford a piña colada or trip to the beach.
More than 4.5 million people applied for a federal tax identification number to begin a new business between January and October of 2021, an increase of more than 20 percent from 2020, according to the Census Bureau.
This should come as no surprise, as about 47 million Americans voluntarily quit their jobs last year in a mass exodus coined the “Great Resignation,” according to the Society for Human Resource Management.
Whether it was a desire to find more of a work-life balance or to simply climb off the corporate ladder, an unprecedented number of people decided to become their own bosses — many of them as solopreneurs.
The rise of remote work and the accessibility of technology make it easier than ever to work for yourself, but being a team of one also comes with many challenges. For many, the biggest challenge is learning that you are now the head of every department. You’re the CEO, the marketing director, the finance manager, the human resources department, and everything in between.
What you thought was going to be working less and living more can quickly become overworked and overwhelmed without the proper time-management techniques in place.
This simple formula for being intentional with your time can help set you up for success, whether you’re a seasoned solopreneur or at the start of your entrepreneurial journey.
What does being intentional with your time mean? 🕔
If the definition of intentional is “done on purpose; deliberate,” then being intentional with your time can be defined as “spending your time on purpose.”
How is being intentional with your time different from other time-management techniques? 📚
Most time-management methods are focused on accomplishing items on your to-do list. Though intentional time management also helps you complete your tasks, it isn’t the sole focus.
Being intentional with your time means determining if something is even worthy of making it onto your to-do list in the first place. It also ensures that you “make time to make time” by evaluating your priorities regularly and reviewing the data to weigh whether an effort is working or not.
Being intentional with your time is a fluid method that you can adjust and adapt to your working style. There’s no singular way to go about this, but the method outlined below is a starting point to begin thinking about your time intentionally.
Why is being intentional with your time important? ⏳
Solopreneurs wear many hats and have no singular role within their business. It’s on you to do all the things all the time.
Without intention, you’re going to see your day, your week, your month, or even your year get away from you, and you’ll soon find yourself looking around wondering where that time went and what you have to show for it.
Being intentional with your time means taking a deep dive into how and where you spent your time, measuring the success of your efforts, and making informed decisions about what to do next.
If you don’t operate with intention, time will inevitably be wasted on things that don’t matter, and you’re going to be left wishing you could get it back.
How to be more intentional with your time ⏱
Step 1: Create a clear vision of success. 🚀
Ask someone what success means to them and you’ll likely get a completely different answer than your own, which is why it’s essential to have a clear vision. Otherwise, how will you know when you’ve succeeded?
An exercise you can do to get clear on what success looks like to you is to script out “a day in the life” of the most successful version of yourself.
Consider how much time you want to spend working every day or week.
What kind of clients or customers do you want to serve?
How much money do you make?
What other goals motivate you?
This is the crux of the process because it drives how you respond to any request. If it isn’t in alignment with your ultimate goals, how much time — if any — do you want to commit? Be intentional.
Revisit this exercise regularly, as your vision will likely change as you and your business continue to evolve.
Step 2: Create measurable goals based on your vision. ✅
To set realistic and achievable outcomes, we can use the SMART method for setting goals based on what our vision of success is. SMART stands for:
Specific: What do I want to happen?
Measurable: How will I know when I have achieved my goal? What metric can I use?
Attainable: Is the goal realistic?
Relevant: Why is my goal important to me?
Timely: What is my deadline for this goal?
By using this method we’re achieving two things:
We’re creating goals that can be tracked and measured, and, in most instances, we’re breaking them down into smaller tasks that we can accomplish over time instead of thinking we have to do everything all at once.
We’re examining our goals with a thought process that allows us to determine if something is worth our time and effort. Don’t be surprised if you start working through this method only to find that by the time you evaluate everything it will take to accomplish the goal, the outcome isn’t worth your time and effort. That’s okay! It’s better to nix time wasters from the get-go.
Step 3: Understand how your time is currently allocated, so you can make room for more valuable goals. 🎯
If you already feel short on time, review the last 30 days and evaluate where the bulk of your time was spent. Next, try to answer the following questions:
Is there anything on your plate that you can delegate, eliminate, or outsource?
As a solopreneur, you will likely outsource tasks that either aren’t in your wheelhouse, or the opportunity cost of your time makes outsourcing them worthwhile. Before outsourcing, first ask yourself if you can eliminate it altogether. Do work that’s in alignment with your success.Are there tasks that can be automated?
Automating tasks using tools like Zapier can save you time in the long run. It may seem daunting to set up, but the payoff can make it worthwhile. Evaluate your workflow and list anything that can be automated before you outsource it.
How much time do you spend on your big picture?
Don’t get so lost in the day-to-day details that you forget to work on your big-picture goals. Measure how much time you currently spend versus how much you need to spend to achieve your goal. How do they compare?
Step 4: Leverage your digital calendar. 📅
In an era of multitasking, who doesn’t rely on a digital calendar? Start with meetings and events, and supercharge your intentions by leveraging your digital calendar to create the habit of being intentional with your time.
Here are three must-haves on your calendar to ensure you’re being intentional with your time:
1. Implementation intentions for working toward your SMART goals.
An implementation intention is created by saying, “I will work on [goal] at [day/time] in [location].” Create implementation intentions for each of your SMART goals then add them to your calendar. Remember to treat that calendar event just like you would any other meeting — meaning show up for yourself.
2. Reactive Time
Reactive time includes checking emails, taking last-minute meetings or phone calls, and for putting out any other “fires” that might ignite during the day. By creating space ahead of time, you not only guarantee they get done, but you also retain control of your time by saying “I can’t do this right now, but I have time for it at (whatever time you’ve scheduled a reactive block).”
3. To-Do List Tasks
There will be items on your to-do list that aren’t a part of your SMART goals. There are activities that need to be done to keep your life, your business, or your career moving forward. Carve out time for these tasks so you stay on schedule.
Step 5: Review and revise 👓 💯
Your goal isn’t to fill every second of your day; it’s to create time for your vision of success. To spend the remaining time however you want, you’ll want to review and revise your calendar as needed.
If you use Google Calendar, you can download this add-on I created, called Pav*r, to categorize your calendar events and run reports to easily analyze where your time is going. Regardless of the digital tools you decide to embrace, spend a few minutes each month reviewing your calendar. You will determine if you need to make changes for the month ahead.
Be proactive and create intention for the hours in your day. You will reap the benefits of more free time due to the intention in which you accomplish your goals.
Now it’s your time to enjoy solopreneur success.
This expert produced this original thought leadership piece free of charge to SheVentures. This expert values educating female entrepreneurs and the SheVentures community. SheVentures is not receiving affiliate compensation from the author/expert. Questions? Contact social@sheventurespodcast.com.
