3 time management strategies for small business owners

With so many useful infographics, articles and videos shared across social media, it's never been easier to gain an insight into how successful people and small business owners achieve so much with the time they have.

It's important to remember that time is the one thing we all have in common.

The difference is often how we choose to use it.

As your business grows, becoming more disciplined with your time becomes increasingly important. Small business owners need to carve out time to work on the business, not just in it.

Here are three simple strategies to help you create more time for planning, strategy and business development.

1. Find an accountability buddy

An accountability buddy is someone who, like you, wants to build a successful business and is committed to making that happen.

Supporting one another helps you stay focused and accountable. Successful people rarely achieve their goals entirely on their own.

There are many ways this relationship can work.

A simple starting point is to discuss how you both want to work more productively. Share the key tasks you want to complete each day and check in at the end of the day to discuss what you've achieved.

This only needs to take a few minutes and could be done by text message, a quick phone call or email.

2. Identify three daily actions

It's all too easy to let emails, phone calls and daily requests dictate your day.

Instead, choose three actions every day that directly contribute to the development of your business.

Before you log on to your computer (and before you check your emails), spend five minutes writing down the three most important business development activities you want to complete that day.

Be realistic but ambitious.

These three priorities will help you stay focused, create momentum and give you a genuine sense of achievement at the end of the day.

That feeling of progress is a powerful source of motivation.

3. Create a mastermind group

Invite a small group of like-minded business owners, perhaps three to twelve people, to meet regularly and share ideas, successes and challenges.

Like your accountability buddy, choose people who are ambitious, supportive and share similar values and work ethics.

Give your meetings a clear structure and use them to:

• Share progress.
• Discuss challenges.
• Set new goals.
• Hold one another accountable.

A well-run mastermind group provides a valuable sounding board where business owners can support, encourage and challenge each other to achieve even greater success.

Make time to grow your business

Running a successful business isn't just about delivering great work for your clients.

It's also about creating the time to step back, think strategically and continue developing your business.

Whether it's finding an accountability buddy, focusing on three key actions each day or joining a mastermind group, small changes to the way you manage your time can make a significant difference to your long-term success.