Kate Christie is one of Australia’s leading time management experts, helping busy people claim back precious time with her business Time Stylers. She shares with us how to set yourself up for success – one moment at a time.
With small business owners often being among the most time-poor, managing to have a life outside of work can be an endless struggle. Joining Cec Busby, Editor of Flying Solo, Kate shares her top tips on investing your time wisely as a business owner so you can increase productivity and profit without risking burnout.
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Wear the hats, but know when to pull back
When it comes to business owners freeing up time for things you love, it can all depend on what stage of business development you’re in. For many Flying Solo listeners that have started a new venture or side hustle this year, Kate acknowledges you’re probably feeling like a jack of all trades right now.
“You are absolutely in the thick of it, and unless you have an enormous amount of money that you are able to invest in your own startup, or you have angel investors, you will be wearing all the hats, and that’s OK,” Kate says. “It’s almost even better because it’s going to allow you to learn all the parts of your business”.
While it might seem impossible for early-stage business owners, Kate encourages carving out some time in the calendar for relaxation or hobbies.
At some point, you’ll need to be outsourcing to other people so you can have time off, even if it seems your cash flow targets haven’t quite hit yet.
“There comes a point in time where you cannot be the jack of all trades and you shouldn’t be the jack of all trades,” Kate says. “Because you are going to be holding your business back.”
Know what to outsource when
Whether you’re spearheading a thriving business, or just starting out, knowing exactly what to outsource to boost productivity and profit can be a stressful decision. According to Kate, it’s important to keep your long-term goal of revenue generation at the front of your mind.
“In order to work out what you should be doing and what you can outsource, make a list of all the things you are really good at in the business,” says Kate. “So anything that’s highly revenue generating and is in your sweet spot of knowledge, you should retain”.
At the beginning of each calendar or financial year, Kate recommends locking in big personal days and time for annual leave before any work-related commitments.
“I know I’ve got annual leave locked away. I’ve got the big kid commitments locked in, and I’ve got some strategy thinking days locked in,” Kate says on setting up her own calendar. “You’re guaranteed a thinking time, you’re guaranteed a family time and, and when all the dust settles, those are the more important things.”
Dealing with distractions
With more and more people choosing to be self-employed, and many of us spending a lot of time working from home, managing distractions can be especially taxing. While there’s benefits to a home-based setup, constant distractions (if you have kids you know exactly what she means) can really impact your productivity.
According to Kate, the key to pushing through distractions is about having boundaries, discipline and open communication with the people in your space.
“Be realistic with the goals that you’re setting,” Kate says. “If you don’t have a deadline, you’re not going to get the task done.”
Above all, Kate knows life can be messy and unpredictable, so it’s important to communicate openly with your clients or any team members you’re working with, if you need to be more flexible with deadlines.
“Everyone’s used to it. Everyone knows, everyone’s accepting of it,” Kate says.
The time management expert’s number one tip for anyone looking to boost their productivity and make the most out of their day, is to stay curious and open to improvement.
“Don’t stop learning,” Kate says. “Read the literature about productivity, tap into experts, get yourself a coach, talk to your friends.”
Kate shared plenty more advice about mastering your time management on the Flying Solo podcast. Listen to the full episode now!
This article is brought to you by Flying Solo and ANZ.
Want to find more ways to get your business financially ready? Visit ANZ’s Financially Ready Business Hub for tools and resources to help set your business up for success.