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Most of us are juggling a million things at once. And especially as side hustlers, finding the time and energy to get everything done can feel almost impossible.
The less time you can spend on your business, the more critical every minute is. So your mission is to be as efficient as possible with your time.
With the right time management tips and mantras in your toolbox, you can make room for your side hustle goals and job and still be able to live your life.
“If it’s not in my calendar, it’s not real.”
I always tell people that if it’s not in my calendar, it’s not real. (And yep, I get a few chuckles). But no matter what calendar it is, put everything in it. Important things. You time. Exercise. Family commitments. Business calls. Business planning. Everything.
To-do lists are great if that’s your thing but pair them with your calendar. Because when it’s on your calendar, you’ve already blocked off time to get it done, and you’ll get reminded about it, so it’s an excellent way to know what you need to be working on and when. And if for some reason you need to move the appointment, it forces you to think about the next day and time you can put it on your schedule. (hello, planning).
Also, if you do any client calls, you can sync an online scheduler with your calendar, and it won’t offer up committed times to your clients. This can give you some much-needed time to work on your business.
“Multitasking is evil.”
I used to think I was THE QUEEN of multitasking, and sometimes I still do. But I have to say when I work on one thing and only one thing, I can focus so much better, and it helps me knock it out.
Sometimes jumping around is good, especially when it comes to housecleaning (or maybe that’s just me?) – but in our businesses, especially when we are trying to be creative, it’s better to pick one thing, set a timer, and go.
I love timers for things like this because it’s like playing a game with yourself. For example, you can tell Siri to “set a timer for 10 minutes” or use a Pomodoro timer. It’s incredible how much you can get done when trying to beat the clock.
“The power of three will set you free.”
Does anyone remember Charmed? It was this fantastic show on The WB in the late 90s about three sisters who realized they were witches. Each sister was powerful and had her unique skills, but most of the time, the spell required all three sisters to defeat a demon or warlock. And actually, one of the spells read, “The power of three will set you free.”
I have found that this is a great way to think about big projects or tasks. See if there is a way to break it down into three smaller tasks, and maybe each of those can become even tinier tasks. For example, perhaps one of your week’s tasks is writing a blog post. We can break this down even more:
- Figure out a topic
- Write the first draft
- Find an image
You can use a post-it note to write them down, make time for them in your calendar, and start checking things off individually.
Just know that you can make room for your side hustle goals while still keeping up with the demands of your day job. I hope you can incorporate one or two of these mantras into your life.