The number of women who are taking the plunge and perusing their entrepreneurial passions has increased 58 percent in the last 10 years. And for good reason! As a business owner, you get to make your own hours, be your own boss, and put your energy into work you actually enjoy. However, time management is a particular challenge for female business owners. If you’re a busy parent with so many other responsibilities to juggle, how are you supposed to find the time to start a business up from scratch? Here are some suggestions that can help.
Take Advantage of Automation Tools
Automation is the best friend of any business owner. From building your first website to sending out marketing emails, automation apps will save you a lot of time.
To build a beautiful website without messing around with complicated code, use website design software. Shopify is the best option if you intend to sell products or services online — the platform was designed specifically to make life easier for e-commerce entrepreneurs. Once you have your website, adorn it with a unique business logo. An appealing logo draws interest, distinguishes you from your competition, and gives your business credibility. Since planning and designing a logo can be challenging and time-consuming, use a free logo generator tool.
As your business grows, check out these other excellent automation tools. You’ll find software that can help with business management, team collaboration, invoicing, accounting, and even social media.
Hire Specialized Help
Unfortunately, there are still many business tasks that need to be done by a human — marketing, content creation, and website tweaks to name a few. You can do these things on your own, but it’s better to save your time for the bigger-picture issues. Trying to be a jack-of-all-trades can hinder your business growth and distract you from your true potential. It’s not your job to do everything!
Hire skilled experts to tackle these tasks better and faster. For example, you may want to hire a web developer, content strategist, marketing expert, and business consultant. According to Entrepreneur, hiring the right people is critical to scaling your business quickly without compromising your ability to provide excellent products and services.
Set Work/Life Boundaries
When you’re working from home, it’s easy to get carried away doing chores or playing with the kids. This can quickly eat away at your work hours. Set some boundaries by establishing a separate work environment in your house. A small desk in a quiet corner may be all you need. Avoid working in your PJ’s or while lounging on the couch. Getting dressed as if you were going to the office can help you get into work mode. Of course, one of the perks of working from home is being comfortable, so opt for clothes that feel good.
Be sure to set clear work hours and schedule in breaks for yourself. If you like to blend your work and life together, more power to you! Just make sure you dedicate some personal time for yourself throughout the day.
Prioritize Your Schedule
During your scheduled work time, stick to a plan rather than chipping away at various projects as they come to mind. The Balance Small Business recommends prioritizing tasks that will result in the most impactful results. Pay attention to your individual energy levels and tackle the most difficult things during your periods of peak productivity, whether that’s first thing in the morning, after lunch, or late at night.
Tasks that will provide immediate results — like sending an invoice to a client or getting products shipped — should come first. Once these are complete, focus your energy on projects that will pay off in the near future. Last but not least, give your attention to big-picture plans and business housekeeping.
Starting a business can seem overwhelming, especially when you think of all the time you need to get things up and running. As your business grows, it becomes even more essential to practice time management and delegate work. Developing productivity habits today will set the stage for business success in the future.
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