| In this series of articles so far, I have argued the | | | | steps, the result is not set in stone. You can |
| need to use management practices even if you | | | | change and adapt according to experience, but |
| have your own home based online business. The | | | | for now use this as an exercise in getting into a |
| discipline imposed on yourself will eventually make | | | | time management frame of mind. |
| the business stronger and more profitable. I have | | | | Now that you know what you need to focus on, |
| touched upon the need for good financial and | | | | start to put a bit of pressure on yourself. Not |
| marketing management in the last two articles, | | | | major pressure; that would be counter productive. |
| and will now discuss another area of management | | | | Start to structure your future, whether one day, |
| that affects all others: Time Management. | | | | one month or one year. Set yourself achievable |
| To anybody working in an office or factory, time | | | | targets each day, week and month; a list of |
| management may well be something they hope | | | | tasks that you need to do to help your business |
| to escape from by having their own business. A | | | | and you to grow. I use a good old fashioned |
| highly pressured executive may well feel the | | | | diary, just to get my eyes away from the |
| same. They could work at home, where they're | | | | screen a while, at the beginning and end of the |
| the boss, and they decide what to do and when. | | | | day, and at intervals as each task is completed. |
| They could watch tv when they want, sit up in | | | | Here are a few tips that I try to stick to: |
| bed with their laptops, or without, and numerous | | | | - Set out a series of tasks to do each day. Make |
| other symbols of freedom from being an | | | | sure they are achievable. |
| employee. | | | | - If you have any regular daily, weekly or |
| Of course, these things are all possible when you | | | | monthly tasks (you should have), build them into |
| work from home. Of all types of home business, | | | | your diary in advance so they do not get |
| though, working online is probably the most | | | | forgotten. For example, I do a daily Blog. That's |
| difficult to manage from a time point of view. | | | | there in my diary every day of the week. You |
| Perhaps difficult is the wrong word. It's actually | | | | will need time set aside to consider finances. Put it |
| easy. What is difficult is the high level of potential | | | | in your diary in advance. |
| online distraction and having to resist it. Add the | | | | - If you have a long task to do, split it over a |
| online distractions to those around you at home, | | | | few days, rather than spend a whole day on the |
| and you have the ingredients for an awful lot of | | | | same thing. If it can be split into sub-tasks, all the |
| wasted time. | | | | better. For example, if you're building a website, |
| What Are All These Distractions? | | | | you may be able to split it into content headings |
| There are many potential distractions online. | | | | or pages. Give yourself an achievable amount to |
| Millions of them when you consider there are | | | | do each day, allowing time for other things. |
| millions of websites, and millions of advertisements | | | | - Try to include one task per day that involves |
| advertising those websites in often exaggerated, | | | | you increasing your knowledge and expertise. For |
| but tempting, ways. If you are trying to get | | | | example, if you have a new instructive ebook to |
| traffic to your own website by surfing for | | | | read, set aside some time each day for it until |
| advertising credits, you are particularly vulnerable | | | | finished. When finished, note in your diary to |
| to distraction, as you may spend a large part of | | | | check on your implementation of suggestions you |
| your day being bombarded by advertising. Once | | | | want to adopt. The same goes for new software |
| you are drawn off into one tempting website, it | | | | and other new technology. A steady build up of |
| can lead to others, then others and so on. | | | | knowledge can be planned for just by putting |
| The same can be true of your email inbox. You | | | | these things in your diary and sticking to the plan. |
| may be signed up to various newsletters and | | | | Trying to master something new all in one go |
| ezines, you may be spammed, you may belong | | | | may cause unnecessary frustration and |
| to safelists that require you to receive the | | | | weariness. |
| owner's emails. All or some may cause a | | | | - If you really must surf for advertising credits, |
| distraction from your day's business activity. You | | | | do that as your last set task of the day, |
| may reach the end of the day and suddenly | | | | otherwise you may not achieve as much as you |
| realize: "Hey, I've achieved nothing today." That | | | | would have. |
| can be a demoralizing feeling. | | | | - If there's something you can do away from the |
| Offline there are many distractions too: you may | | | | computer screen, try to plan for it. For example, |
| have children around, your partner may want | | | | if you need to plan website content or write an |
| your company, you may want to laze in the | | | | article, you will benefit from at least thinking of |
| garden as the sun's come out for the first time in | | | | the main points by relaxing. If it's warm, sit in the |
| days. There are endless possibilities, depending on | | | | garden, somewhere to give you a break from |
| your own circumstances, interests and | | | | the computer. |
| weaknesses. You need to be very much aware | | | | - If you think you will benefit from so doing, use |
| of what your own distractions are, and then | | | | the same diary to schedule in domestic activities |
| manage them according to your business, | | | | too. Don't forget, this is your home business. The |
| domestic and personal priorities. | | | | home and your family are part of it. If you want |
| How Do You Manage Your Time? | | | | to take the children to the beach after school, |
| However you manage your time, the first part of | | | | schedule it in. You can do that and still achieve |
| the process should be to: | | | | something for your business that day. |
| - Decide what the essential elements are for | | | | - If you find that a task cannot be completed, or |
| developing and growing your business, steadily and | | | | its priority should be lessened, don't try to force |
| profitably. | | | | yourself to do it the day first scheduled. |
| - Consider your domestic and personal situation. | | | | Reschedule it for another day. |
| Now you have your own home business, you | | | | Time management is a very personal thing, |
| have a chance to build into your daily routine | | | | especially when you have your own business at |
| activities that will enhance your own happiness | | | | home. I am sure you can adopt your own |
| and that of your family. This is a great | | | | techniques that suit you best. The most important |
| opportunity. Make the most of it. | | | | thing to remember, though, is that time needs to |
| - Take some quiet time and reflect on the first | | | | be managed. If you're alone in the business, time |
| two items. Let them meld together in your mind | | | | is a major limiting factor. It is important you make |
| and visualize how they can be brought together | | | | the most of your time, and for your own morale, |
| to make your perfect day/s. | | | | to end each working day feeling you've achieved |
| Whatever the outcome of the above three | | | | something. |