Are you a fan of Time Management?

I would love to be the queen of time management, get everything done I want to, but realistically, it just doesn’t happen when you work for yourself!

So how do you get things done and not feel guilty about the things still on your list day after day?

I often have a long list of projects I need to complete, to give you an example my current list looks something like this (in no particular order):

• Write more blog posts for both my websites (tick… well half a tick!)
• Set-up an eCourse for authors (I’ve started it…)
• Start writing my book!
• Transfer my late Grandfather’s website over to WordPress (again, started!)
• Put all my blog posts for the last year in an eBook and sell it for pennies on Amazon, Smashwords and my website (…started)
• Get the eBook review service up and running, not just for clients but for other authors too!
• Update this website, change to Genesis and update it with a top notch theme

This is just my list of things I have to try and fit in around client work.  That’s the problem, when you’re an entrepreneur and you don’t have lots of different people working for you, you either have to do things yourself or…

Outsource

Outsourcing is a great way of lightening the load if you can afford it.  If you have a specific project that will make you more income in the long run, then outsourcing it to get it finished quicker would be the best thing you could do.  Sometimes outsourcing doesn’t have to cost the earth, you can check out some freelancer sites where you can often than not find someone within your budget.

Swap Services

If you really can’t afford a virtual assistant like me, then doing it yourself is the only way… But what if you don’t know how to do something?  You then have to learn the ropes before you can take on the task.  This is where swapping services might come in handy.  I’ve done this a couple of times, and most recently have collaborated with a writer in Nigeria (check out his guest post: How to Fully Utilize Google Plus for More Traffic and Income).  I am helping him with his website and he’s doing some writing for me.

Look through all your contacts and see who you can approach about one of your projects.  I have been lucky, people have approached me, but when you approach a contact ask them if they would consider swapping services with you, tell them what you offer.  If nothing comes of it, then don’t worry, something might turn up eventually.  

What’s Next?

Your next option would be to block out some time each day to work on the task.  To start with you may have to learn a few things before you can get started.  For example, I outsourced the design of my website at the beginning but as I have grown more comfortable using WordPress and learning how it works, I now offer that as a service. Learning new things means you have something extra to add to your skills, whether it makes you money or not.

I read a great blog post the other day by Jess Green of Pink Chilli Virtual Assistance, it was called Power Hour.  I was so enlightened by the post that I decided I would do exactly what Jess suggested, block out 1 hour per day to work on my business.  Now, between 1 and 2pm each day I have my power hour and work on my above project list.  

Don’t Feel Guilty

Above all, don’t start to feel guilty about your projects not being completed.  We all have good and bad days, emergencies come up, client work needs to take priority.  

Here are a few tips on how you can prioritise your project list:

1. Look at the list and work out which project will earn you the most money, work on this project first.
2. Decide which projects will take less time to complete and work on those next, this will thin out the list a bit to stop you feeling overwhelmed.
3. Allocate one project to your power hour each week, eg. this week I will work on my eCourse, next week I will work on my website