As an empowerment coach, I’ve worked with thousands of female entrepreneurs. Some have been successful, and others have allowed their entrepreneurial pursuits to fall by the wayside.
Those who have been successful know success doesn’t always mean sacrifice. Rather, success is often gained through compromise, planning and execution.
So, how do you go from being ready to drop your entrepreneurial dreams to a breakout success? It starts with your calendar.
Don’t have one? Don’t like them? Tough luck. If you want to be successful, it is a non-negotiable.
1. Schedule the essential.
Birthdays, anniversaries, vacations, doctors appointments, you name it—all of the important life events are scheduled in advance and shared to calendars with alerts. So, why aren’t you scheduling time for your business?
You likely put things on your schedule if they’re important enough to you. So, if you aren’t willing to develop time management skills, then stop reading this right now because your calendar is about to become your lifeline!
2. Stick to it.
It’s not enough to say you’ll put it on the calendar. You have to follow through. “Time management is not about having all of those things done; it’s about having enough time for what matters most to you. Time management is really ‘personal management‘ and it is a skill necessary for achieving better quality of life (Psychology Today).”
If you’re easily distracted, create a Google calendar, or calendar alerts for your mobile devices. When we schedule what’s important to us, we are more likely to take action.
3. Use waiting time productively.
Life as a full-time or part-time entrepreneur can be, to say the least, chaotic. Learning to manage your time more effectively is key.
“We tend to have a lot of down-time where we don’t try to do much [or have commitments to fulfill for others], says Jordan Bates, a writer for The Creativity Post. “Waiting rooms, lines at the store, time on the subway, on the elliptical at the gym, etc. Find things to do during this time.”
Perhaps you’re a time-crunched mom of 3, you own a boutique and you’re taking an online coaching course. Your group call is on Wednesday at 7pm, but so is little Jimmy’s Taekwondo class. Not a problem! Take Jimmy to class and attend the call via your earbuds, in your car, at the same time.
4. Roll with the punches.
Maybe you have used the phrase, “Go with the flow” more times than you care to admit. This isn’t any different different when it comes to time management. Sometimes, meetings go over their expected time block, car pool gets mixed up, spontaneous travel plans are booked and life happens. It’s okay! Prioritize what’s important and be flexible. Shift low priority items around and reschedule them on your calendar. Be ready for life to change in the blink of an eye and embrace those changes with grace.
This article has been edited and condensed.
Kaitlyn Stephens is a leading Empowerment Coach for young female entrepreneurs. She is based in Dallas and works with clients across the U.S. to help them navigate the waters of entrepreneurship; taking ideas and turning them into reality! If you’re determined to never be an entrepreneurial dropout, sign up to join her exclusive Facebook Group for determined female entrepreneurs. Click here to join! Connect with @Kis4kaitlyn on Twitter.
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