This tip is helpful if you find yourself struggling to get in the groove, and it can actually be utilized beyond work. Sometimes you may be putting something off, or you’re just not quite feeling it and you just kind of … putter around. One way to get yourself going is to set a timer and work on the task for X number of minutes. That can be for how long you might have available at a given time, how long you may think it will take to finish, or just an arbitrary number.

Then don't fix it!

Seriously! This blog, and our Instagram are filled with tips and tricks, however the biggest tip we have is for our readers and clients to do what works for them. Every business is different, and every person is different, and that is especially true when it comes to creatives and their businesses.

Breaks are important, even if you’ve got deadlines or are in the midst of a great creative flow. You still need to move your body, step back from what you’re doing and make sure you’re eating and staying hydrated while you’re working.

Well, I think we all know by now that I love a system. I also love a system that I can set up once and let do it’s thing. There are so many small pieces of business that can be automated today - from filters & rules within your email inbox categorizing emails instantly to software that will assist with your entire workflow.

Outsourcing can be a great way to lessen the burden of running a business, whether its as a sole proprietor or as a founder with a bustling team. The first go-to for many small business is to outsource their accounting and legal needs, as you’re not going to have either position on staff. But there are many, many other positions that you can outsource as well - including what this very business offers!

This tip is my favorite so far… if not ever, all time. Ready for it?

Turn off your notifications on your phone & computer. I’ve mentioned this in a previous blog post about not getting sucked into your email inbox all day long, but there’s more of a distraction than just emails. Texts, social media, shopping apps - and a whole host of others send notifications throughout the day to our phone and computer. And those very notifications can be truly disruptive during your workday.

Everyone has those tasks that fall on the “ugh” list. The ones that get put off for a while, and then tackled with an “ugh, fine”. Then there’s usually a most hated task that gets avoided at all costs, but eventually done, because when it’s your business, that’s how it always works.

The fabulous ladies at The Home Edit haven’t been saying “IT’S A SYSTEM” for years for no reason! They love their systems, and so do I.

One thing I implement in businesses wherever I can are systems:

1. Do you have a client onboarding email that you send out regularly? Write that out once in your drafts, copy & paste going forward and you are done!

It can be tempting to race through tasks to one quickly right after another. Many creatives feel the need to rush through the business operation tasks to move back to the creative tasks, or to move from one creative project to the next in order to keep the income flowing and keep the business operative.

What is time optimism? Simply put, it’s being optimistic about how long a project, job or task will take. Some artists & designers fall into this trap naturally & honestly, just by not being not fully aware of how long things take. Other times, we as creatives can fall prey to time optimism when trying to rush a job to completion. This can happen to please a client, rush to meet a deadline, or because we are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work that we have on our plate at any given moment.

There are countless tips and tricks out there…. “hack” is the trending word. In fact, I’ve covered a few tips that are helpful when it comes to time management on previous blog posts on this very site.

If you’re a creative, I’m sure you’re very much aware, that very often you can’t hack your way to success. It takes talent, hard work, and maybe a bit of luck. Similarly, there isn’t always a hack that will solve a time management issue. Oftentimes, the heart of the issue is honesty.

Calendar appointments aren't just for meetings. One way to plan out your tasks and work on your time management is called time blocking. In doing so, you are scheduling when you’ll be working on which task in your calendar. Rather than jumping from task to task without a plan, or jumping mid-task, this allows you to focus on one task for an entire block of time.

A big complaint that I often hear when it comes to time management is that by the time we get through emails there’s no time to tackle the important stuff. The thing is, being a slave to your email inbox actually has very little to do with time management … it simply means you need to step away from your email inbox and focus on the productive work that you want and need to be doing.