Are you too busy to focus on growing your business?

Recent research has shown that small business owners who manage their time well are 20% more likely to grow than that those who don’t. But the report by Exact and the Centre for Enterprise and Economic Development Research (CEEDR) also showed that one third of SME owners are too busy to focus on growth!

The thing to remember about time management is that although you can choose how to spend or waste your time, it is your biggest asset and the one thing you can’t buy more of. Therefore, as a busy business owner, it’s vital to ask yourself “where and how can I improve?” because improving time management can make a big difference to your results.

Time management is really about managing yourself. It’s about making a commitment to be more organised, maintain your focus and use your time to your best advantage.

What is keeping you busy?

The first step in managing your time effectively is to work out what’s important to you and what you want out of life; begin with the end in mind and identify your goals, setting clear priorities and making conscious plans for what you want. Revisiting and reviewing your life and business plans frequently will help you to understand if you are track to achieve your goals.

Then use plans to achieve your goals. Planning is all about setting the direction for where you want to go, putting you in control and making you accountable and responsible for your results. The better you get at planning and executing your plans the more pro-active you will be and the better your results will be. And when we talk about plans we mean written plans! When your plans are written down they become real, tangible and ‘do-able’.

Ask yourself “Who is my most important client?” Clients will come and go but your business is your best client. It is your future; it demands your attention and must not be “fitted-in when you have time”.

We know from our experience of working with many SME owners that time management can make a big difference to your results so seize the opportunity now and improve your results!

Written by Mike Wenham

Regional Director | Pro-actions UK