In life and business, money and time are equals. Wasting time being unproductive is one of  the biggest money mistakes we can make.

When it comes to managing your business, you must work on becoming obsessed with time management and officency. 

So with that in mind, here are some ways to invest in your most valuable resource. Your time. 

Make a Plan

With most of us working from home at the moment, it might seem tempting to wake up and get moving with work straight away with your first task. But what about when you finish the first task and you then have to take the time to think about what needs doing next? 

Before you start your day, take the time to create a framework of the tasks that need completing. That doesn’t mean to say that things  won’t happen throughout the day that will throw you off- but you can still add those things to the ‘to-do’ list at the end of the day. 

Make sure the most important things get done first. That means considering your business success first and foremost, such as  building relationships, upskilling and marketing your business. The rest will fall into place. 

Create Your Space 

There’s nothing worse than finally settling down to work only to be distracted by the call of an unrelated task or something that begins to bother you from the corner of your eye.

 Having a space that enables you to zero in on your work tasks will make you a lot more productive. If your home office solution is a kitchen counter at the moment, make sure that all tasks in the kitchen are done before you settle down to work.

 Likewise if you can only work in your bedroom or living room. You should be in a well lit room with a comfortable chair for your safety and comfort while working away from the office. 

Try to create a division between spaces and activities done at specific times of the day to prevent the lines between work and leisure from blurring. 

Pexels-CC0 licence

Keep Meetings Swift

It may be important to attend some of the meetings in your diary, not all of them will require your attention. Let’s face it, lots of things said in meetings could just be put into an email, besides, you’re busy! 

However, for those unavoidable meetings, make sure to keep them swift. By doing this you are protecting your own time while being respectful of others’ time, too. 

Don’t feel the need to use all of your scheduled time if  what needs to be shared is done in 20. See how much that improves the productivity of all involved. 

Take Breaks 

Without taking the necessary time to breathe and create some punctuation to the day, you’re setting yourself up to fail. Tiredness can hinder your productivity, so make sure to spend time away from your workstation to stretch and reset your mind. 

Remember: the most productive people are not always those who sprint on ahead with their tasks for the day with no breaks