Practical time management tips for designers
Don't use lack of time as the excuse for not starting or improving your business.
You can absolutely find a few hours in your day if you make something a priority.
When you say "I don't have time" what it really means is that it's not a priority for you right now.
Instead you need to set your priorities and goals, then examine your weekly schedule to allocate time accordingly.
Don't keep using time as the excuse for not getting things done as it's rarely what the real problem is.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day and some people achieve a lot more in a day than others.
Those people are using their time wisely and prioritising what they work on. They are probably also making hard choices over easier ones, like skipping Netflix to get some extra work done or getting up early to add a few additional hours to their day.
Of course unexpected events and emergencies come up, but having a plan in place can help you stay on track and make the most of the limited time you have.
By setting clear goals, eliminating distractions, and working smarter (not harder) you can find the time to achieve your dreams and grow your business.
Don't let lack of time be an excuse. Take control of it and make it work for you.
Here are some practical time management tips you can implement today:
Set Clear Goals:
Define your long term and short term goals - if you haven’t defined where you’re headed you don’t know what you’re working towards
Break down big projects into smaller, achievable tasks
Sort your tasks based on importance and deadline
Make sure every task has a deadline and then stick to it (even if this is set by you and is arbitrary - i.e. the task doesn’t really have a need to get done except that you’ve told yourself that you will get it done by a specific deadline)
Track all your tasks somewhere that works for you - I personally use Notion
Eliminate Distractions:
Turn off your phone, close all browser tabs and close email notifications while you are working
Use a time tracking tool to monitor your progress and how long you spend on different parts of your workflow (Harvest is great for this) - this can help you make better strategic decisions in the future
Set aside dedicated time for email and social media checking - I do this as part of my Daily Non-Negotiables
Work in a quiet environment free of distractions - I find that using Lo-Fi music can be really helpful to get me in a flow state with my work
Maximise Your Productivity:
Start your day with your most important task - that way if the rest of the day goes sideways (as can often happen), you’ve still achieved something productive
Use working sprints or the Pomodoro Technique to focus on one task at a time
Use a timer to track your working sprints and breaks (I use an analogue clock for this - so my phone is away and not distracting)
Group similar tasks together to increase efficiency - this is called ‘batching’ and it works really well
Avoid multitasking - choose one task to work on, set a timer and get that task completed
Plan Your Day:
Plan your day the night before to avoid wasting time in the morning
Make a to-do list every day - mine is automatically generated inside Notion
Plan your work schedule around your peak productivity times - for me that is between 4-7am each morning but for you it will likely different
Use a planner or calendar to keep track of appointments and deadlines - mine are all set in Google Calendar
Manage Email:
Set up filters to sort your emails
Unsubscribe from unnecessary email lists as they come in - it takes a few extra seconds but then it’s dealt with forever
Respond to emails in batches instead of individually - I do this during my Daily Non-Negotiables each day
Use templates for frequently used responses - I set these up in my Gmail account and it means emails take seconds to respond to, rather than minutes (which all adds up over hundreds of emails)
Sort Your Workspace:
Keep your workspace clutter free
Have a filing system and file as you go (saves time having to do it later) - this is for both physical and digital work
Have a system for dealing with paperwork as it comes in - e.g. I always load all receipts straight into Xero as they come in, which takes a few extra seconds at the time but hours of extra work when it comes to do my book keeping at the end of each month
Invest in tools that make your work easier and more efficient. Some of these for me include:
analogue clock to time my working sprints
Stream Deck, which I use to ‘produce’ my videos on the go
Have a designated place for everything, so you always know where to find what you need
Use Technology:
Use project management tools to track progress - again, I love Notion for this
Automate repetitive tasks - never do something more than once without a system being put in place to make it faster and easier next time. This takes time upfront to set it up but saves you heaps of time later on
Use a cloud based system to access files from anywhere - I use Dropbox for this
Take Care of Yourself:
If you aren’t taking care of yourself you won’t have the energy you need to do everything you want :)
Here’s some obvious ways of doing that:
Get enough sleep - a no brainer and one thing I’m always trying to improve
Eat a healthy diet - I find my concentration is much better when my diet is extremely clean
Exercise regularly - for me it massively boosts energy and productivity
Drink enough water - I have a 1 litre water bottle on my desk all day and carry it around with me whenever I leave the house. I aim to drink 4 of these each day (which I mostly achieve as it’s just there all the time)
Thanks for reading and catch you in my next post :)
Clare x
Dr Clare Le Roy
Courses and Templates for Designers and Architects
DO YOU WANT TO….
Improve your professionalism?
Find more clients?
Bring in more revenue?
Create better systems and processes?
Then check out my business courses and templates for designers and architects.
These courses and templates leave you with work done - not just a long list of things you need to do next. We have a really strong focus on taking action and getting things created that improve your business.
