Good time management offers many exciting benefits. First, you’ll free up more time to focus on your clients. Second, you’ll find that your business becomes a calmer, more rewarding place to work. And third, you will actually increase your hourly worth and revenue, meaning you can make more money and work less… sounds great! Unfortunately, though, so many Business Owners in the Health & Wellness industry struggle with managing their time effectively due to the nature of the work.
Perhaps this sounds like you? You’ve already got a busy week ahead of you but you’ve squeezed people in meaning you’re now forced to start earlier or finish later. Your to-do list is massive and you have no idea what to do first, so you stick to the small wins again and the actual to-do list rolls on to next week like usual. You’re terrified of anything ‘going wrong’ in the business as managing emails, social posts, and staff (if you have them), alongside your own clinical hours, has already stretched you too far. And the thought of keeping yourself fit and healthy, whilst being there for friends and family, just brings up feelings of guilt.
If any of that does sound like you, here are six time management tips that you can start putting in place at no cost for your business.
1. Calculate your hours of treatment or classes (and be realistic)!
In an ideal world, you’d arrive at your desk just as your first client for the day walks in the door. But, in reality, that’s just not feasible. You have paperwork to do, staff to manage and a myriad of other tasks clamouring for your attention.
Work out HOW many hours you actually need to be available for to make the income you want (and if that figure is not feasible then that tells you you need a team OR you need to raise your prices). You may also need to make updates to your treatment plans or make notes after each appointment, so remember to allow some time to get this done. MISTAKE – make yourself as available as possible.
2. Manage your diary like a boss
An up-to-date diary will allow you to see at a glance exactly when you can expect to have some time on your hands to get to that ever-lengthening to-do list as well as keeping you on-track with the clients that you have coming up in the day. I recommend to coaching clients that EVERYTHING gets a time slot. This way your time is planned and nothing is forgotten and the feeling of overwhelm is reduced and PROCRASTINATION is less! You then don’t think… you DO what is on the calendar.
I like to compartmentalise my time into specific slots. For instance, I don’t like to try and see clients and do business development on the same day – it requires two different brains!
3. Put someone in the way!
If you are anything like me, you will struggle to say NO! And end up working late, coming in early, squeezing people in and working at times you have ‘off’!
I was this person and a part of me still is sometimes. So, a strategy I adopted in the early days was to create a VA! Give her a name and create an email signature and she can be the person who deals with emails, cancellations, invoicing and even booking!
Or, if you already have a receptionist/administrator, have a conversation about boundaries and how to NOT involve you in the booking element!
4. Keep a to-do list handy
If you’re at work, you want to use the time productively. There are many times when you’ll have periods of available time in between clients, so, if you know what tasks you have outstanding, you can tick off one or two a day and get on top of your admin once and for all. However – if you manage your diary well, this should not happen often.
You need to prioritise tasks into – what is IMPORTANT/URGENT (by the way there is basically nothing that is urgent!) NOT IMPORTANT/NOT URGENT but still needs doing. Ask yourself – what will move my business forwards in the right way.
To increase productivity:
- Set a time limit for a task and just get started.
- Eliminate distractions such as your phone, ambient noise and interruptions from staff.
- Work out what can be automated and what can be delegated.
5. Automate processes
Every task you do, you should ask – can I get someone or something to do this for me! Unless it’s your highest value work, you should not be doing it! Now that is the ultimate goal, but look at what software, or systems you can use to automate some of your processes!
6. Take Time-Out Regularly
It’s just not possible to work a full day without taking a break. The more you recognise your best work and ideas will come when you’re not IN your business the quicker your business will grow.
To get the most from your breaks:
- Move around, maybe go for a walk;
- Connect with nature;
- Practice slow, deep breathing;
- Meditate;
Final Thoughts
There are always going to be times when you feel completely out of control, if you just decide that no-one else is in control of your time other than YOU, things will shift! We all have 24 hours; we just are choosing to spend it differently!
If you wish to discuss your particular business and situation in more detail, as well as put together a plan of action for gaining more time, freedom and flexibility, reach out here and book a discovery call with me today.
