Time Management Techniques - 10 Great Tips

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 26th, 2010

Time management techniques will be what set you apart from many of your competitors. By employing smart time management techniques you will be more efficient, more effective, and more profitable. Without proper management of time, a lot of hours fall into quicksand and you never get them back.

The essential truism when discussing time management techniques is that time is more valuable than money. Use the following tips to help you use the time that you have wisely.

Top 10 Time Management Techniques

Decide what your billing time minimum will be. This is the single most important time management technique so think about your minimum carefully. Factor in your travel time to and from clients and the average number of clients you will serve per day.

Set up regular client appointments four to eight weeks in advance. Scheduling with geography in mind and trying to avoid commuting in heavy traffic jams are two closely related time management techniques.

Put networking events on your calendar a month in advance. By using this time management technique you can coordinate your schedule with your clients' schedules efficiently.

Log every minute that you work. Log billable hours as well as your administrative, training, marketing and selling times. When you treat yourself as an internal client you'll be much more efficient with that non-billable time.

Create a schedule or task list for every day. An easy time management technique is to use Outlook to track what needs to be done on a daily calendar.

Make the most of your driving time. Using this time for listening to audio books or CDs on technical or business training is an excellent time management technique.

Keep copies of what you need to read with you. By doing this you can make the most of your down time.

Schedule time for internal, operational requirements. A critical aspect of time management is making sure everything that needs to get done, does in fact get done. Schedule time for billing, accounts payable, banking, updating your marketing plan, etc...

Schedule one day per quarter for professional development. This is an often overlooked time management technique but one that is very important for your personal and business growth.

Schedule one weekend per year to review your business plan. Your business plan should be a living and breathing document that is kept relevant and referred to often.

The Bottom Line On Time Management Techniques

You can't afford to not implement the time management techniques listed. Your time is one of your most precious assets so treat it with respect. By using time management techniques your effectiveness and efficiently will vastly improve and so will your business.

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