Our Great City

By Dr. Laura Steves

Sometimes being a self-employed businessman or woman feels like plowing new ground every day. Though the rewards of being your own boss can be great, the daily stress of managing time often is overwhelming. It’s all too easy to get to the end of a day and feel like we’ve been running inside a wheel, expending lots of energy but getting nothing done. The temptation is to work even harder, but sometimes we just have to be smarter about our time. Below are five tips to help today’s professional make the most of every work day.

Plan ahead – Sitting down for a few minutes the night before a busy day to plan out how much time you will need for important tasks can save hours in the long run.

Prioritize – You probably have more things to do than can fit into a single day, so make a quick list of your most important tasks and order them from most urgent to least. Make sure to mark jobs off your list as you make progress; this helps you realize how much you actually are getting done.

Know when to delegate – As the person in charge, the temptation is always there to try and do everything, but this is not necessarily the best use of your time and expertise. Instead of taking the time to handle basic office or clerical work, train an assistant to relive some of the pressure.

Always value self-care – Plan in at least half an hour every day for exercise. The return you receive in energy and focus is more than worth it. Also, remember to provide your body with the fuel it needs to keep going. Skipping breakfast may save a few minutes, but your metabolism needs the jump-start. Finally, although it’s tempting when afternoon fatigue sets in to grab a giant coffee, soft drink or candy bar, but the let-down after an hour or two can be even worse.

Leave work at work – Face it: your work will never be done, so be able to tell yourself when it’s time to walk away. Make plans in advance with family or friends so you have to leave the office at a certain time. Make appointments during the day to meet with your spouse or kids for lunch or a walk in the park. If someone asks you to do something, tell them you have another appointment.

Laura lives in Keller, Texas, with her husband and 2 boys. Laura serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for MyWordTree (www.mywordtree.com), a writing, editing and marketing service for businesses worldwide, and as the producer of an online magazine and radio show for women called Mommy’s Company (www.mommyscompany.com). Email Laura at: laura@mommyscompany.com or lsteves@mywordtree.com