Time Management — Katelyn Hamilton | Blog — Katelyn Hamilton

I think it’s safe to say that we’re all experiencing something that we never saw coming in our lifetime. This pandemic seems so surreal (while I know it is very real). It is one of those things that, at least for me personally, I thought only realllllly happened in movies. I just keep saying “it’s weird times we’re living in.” But the thing is, this is going to be our new reality for a while.

First of all, I want to acknowledge that it’s okay if the last week has been shit. It’s okay if you’re crazy bummed about this impacting your vacation plans, birthdays, weddings, pregnancy / delivery, etc. Because guess what? It totally sucks. We’re canceling our long-anticipated, 2-week European honeymoon to Italy and Greece in June now because of it. And I’m super bummed. I’ve been planning this trip for 2 years, and dreaming of it for more than 10. This was supposed to be our time together before making babies and focusing on prioritizing life things like a house, babies, careers, etc. I know we’ll never get *this* trip again. And while there are SO many things I am so grateful for right now, and others I know are experiencing far “worse” losses, this is still my reality, and it’s still a huge loss to me.

Dealing with all of this is hard. It feels like our freedom is being taken away to some degree. I totally recognize and understand the need for the quarantine and the world basically shutting down... but it’s just... shitty. If you’re feeling the weight of the world right now, I see you, I feel it too. But I’m trying my best to focus on the “new normal,” and to adjust as best as possible to the change. While there are so many new distractions - kids home, partner working from home, simply staying home and going stir crazy, the news, etc. - I think this is a time to focus on efficiency. Getting shit done efficiently so that we can deal with the rest of what’s going on.

I’ve put together a few tips for navigating these uncharted waters and how you can work efficiently during Covid-19.

Tip one:

Find a new routine. Maybe it means getting up a bit earlier to get some work done before your kids get up. Or maybe it means you work in time blocks so you and your hubby can split the childcare watching/office space. But we thrive on routines as humans so find something that will work for your new normal for a bit, write it out and stick to it!

Tip two:

Repurpose old content and directly relate it to what’s going on right now. This way you don’t have to recreate the wheel. Look at stuff you’ve already written or shared and provide a fresh perspective. This will save you lots of time not having to come up with any new content. Plus, everyone is focusing on COVID-19 right now, so any other content is likely to get lost.

Tip three:

Set a timer for a task to get shit done by the time it goes off. When it goes off move on to the next thing on your to-do list. This tricks your brain to create that sense of urgency to get shit done. This also will allow you to have work time + playtime with your kids (or learning time, if they're out of school, like for forever, like mine is). I’ve tried really hard to focus in those short pockets to be able to accomplish MORE in less time. This seems like a good habit that can stick around long after COVID times are over.

Tip four:

Set small, attainable daily goals. Don’t try to save the world or worry about coming up with the next way to make you 100k today. Now is not the time for all that. Focus on 3 things you can get done TODAY and then work to check off those 3 things by the end of day. Use a project management tool like Asana to help you prioritize those top 3 things and keep everything else in the queue.

Tip five:

Outsource more. I am a huge fan of outsourcing all the things - including cleaning, laundry, meal prep, etc. While that may not be possible to outsource some of those home things right now, outsource more work. Especially if you need the TIME back. There’s a lot of people looking for work right now, so don’t be afraid to ask for help! This will reduce your stress and you’ll be able to accomplish more in less time.

Now I am not an expert by any means, these are just some of the things that have helped me. They’re things that I try to do when I feel super busy, have a lot going on or am just simply distracted. Now is one of those times. If you have any tips that are working for you, please share! I know we can all benefit from working together during this crazy, weird time.

Katelyn Hamilton is an Online Business Manager and Get Your Sh!t Together Strategist. She helps busy entrepreneurs organize, strategize and prioritize their business to go from overwhelmed to out-in-front.

After spending 6 years in the corporate world working with multimillion dollar companies, top-rated chefs and celebrities, she launched her own business to find more flexibility and freedom. She matched her corporate salary in just one year of starting her business.

Katelyn is also a wife, stepmom, dog mama of three furry friends, fitness lover, sports fanatic (Go Dawgs) and dreams of living at the beach.

Click here to book a free call to talk more about your business goals and to see if hiring an OBM is the right fit for you.

Oh the hottest buzz word, time management. This is a topic that is endlessly covered by so many to help entrepreneurs work smarter not harder, right? It’s true. Time management and boundaries are so important, but let’s be real, we all still struggle with this from time to time.

Lack of time management and boundaries doesn’t necessarily mean you lack discipline and focus. There could be a few reasons why your time management and boundary setting sucks. A lot of it I believe starts with your mindset (make sure you catch up on my blog post on mindset from a couple weeks ago here). If you are stressed or overwhelmed and taking too much on, you could also truly not have the time.

I am a people pleaser, so naturally, time management and boundaries has been HARD for me because I prioritize everyone else’s wants and needs over my own. It’s been something I’ve had to work hard at, to make sure I am respecting myself and my business. There are still moments when I struggle, but there are certain things that help me to refocus and get back on track.

Here are 5 simple steps to help you accomplish MORE and live freely in your life.

1. Analyze all of your commitments

Sometimes we take on too much. I am SO guilty of this. So before I give any guidance on what things you can do to manage your time better, I believe it truly starts with analyzing WHAT is actually taking up all of your time. Trying to do it all simply isn’t possible, so of course you may feel overwhelmed and can’t get it all done.

What are your priorities right now? Is it your new baby and family right now, or maybe you’re in a huge biz growth stage, or maybe it’s both or something else entirely. But I’ve found that when you try to focus your attention on EVERYTHING, nothing really thrives. You have to pick one or two things and do those WELL/go all in.

So maybe right now that means cutting out one or two networking groups you’re a part of, not taking on the “room mom”, not volunteering to host the next girls get together, prioritizing your business offerings, or simply saying no to some things in general.

Another thing to consider is your expectations. Are you setting your own expectations too high in this stage of life you’re in? Maybe you’re used to working 30-40 hours a week, but right now you really can only commit to 20-25. How many hours a day do you have to work and for how many days/week? Get realistic with yourself and what you have available from a time and ENERGY standpoint. Then write it down.

2. Track your time

So now that you’ve picked your two main commitments/focuses, write down all the things that support them and then I want you to TRACK how much time it takes to do all of those things and/or write down your time commitment.

For example, all of my clients are on a retainer for a certain number of hours each month, so I add up all of that time and subtract it from the hours a month I want to work on my business. That gives me a better idea of if/when I can add another client to my workload. Then, to take that a step further, I track all of my time spent on each client’s activities. This way I can see how long it takes me to do something and determine if there is a faster, or better way to do something. This, in return, helps not only me to better manage me time, but my clients too so that they get the most out of my time that they’re paying for.

If you find that a task is taking up more time than you’d like in your week, consider outsourcing it to someone else, setting up an automatic workflow so you’re not recreating the wheel, or maybe finding another solution.

3. Time block

Actually schedule everything out in your calendar - I use Apple calendar because it syncs nicely to all my tech devices and alerts me for everything. But whether you write things down or do it virtually, use your calendar and schedule out all of the things you need to do. I.e. When you’re going to write your content, your calls, client work time, personal time/workouts/mindset work, etc. This will help you to stay focused and stay on track. It doesn’t mean that you can’t move things around if needed, but it will help you stay organized and give you a rough framework to actually give yourself more freedom if you stick to your schedule.

4. Decide what you’re available for

Set boundaries when it comes to protecting your time and energy. What are your working hours? Set those and then communicate them with your clients. That way if they contact you outside of work hours you are not obligated to answer and you don’t feel like you’re doing yourself or your clients a disservice.

Some other questions to ask yourself are: How do you expect people to treat you? Are you okay with last minute projects and emergencies? Are you willing to work late some nights if needed to give yourself more time to have some fun the next day? Will you work weekends? What kind of attitude and energy will you let into your conversations and space?

Really work hard on setting not just time boundaries, but emotional boundaries too. Those are equally as important as they will spill over into not only your own work, but your relationships and personal time too.

5. Stick to the boundaries you set

Once you set these boundaries, stick to them. You have to have the sel-frespect to do that. That’s where all of this circles back to the mindset work. In order for you to actually DO any of these things, you have to value yourself and your business enough to stick to them. If you’re struggling with sticking to your boundaries and schedules, ask yourself why you’re not prioritizing yourself or your business? What needs to change for you to do that? Dive into more mindset work to build your confidence and learn to respect and love yourself more. Because at the end of the day, all of these things - whether you do them or you don’t just come back to hurt or help YOU, no one else.

Do you struggle with time management and setting boundaries? What seems to be the hardest part to stick to?

Katelyn is also a soon-to-be wife, stepmom, dog mama of two furry friends, fitness lover, sports fanatic (Go Dawgs) and dreams of living at the beach.