Time Saving Tips for Success

If you are starting your business while raising your family, I see you. 

I have been there and done that- It’s not for the faint of heart. In 2016, after my second son was born, I realized my corporate job just wasn’t working for our family anymore. With two little ones under two, being gone for 10 to 12 hours a day wasn’t something I could keep doing. I knew I had to find a better way. That’s when I discovered virtual assistance—a game-changer that let me work from home while still being there for my kids. I built my business in the little pockets of time I could find: waking up at 5 a.m. to work until someone woke up, sneaking in more during nap time, and getting back to it once they were asleep at 7 p.m.

 These are the tips that helped me make the most of that precious time.

Time block

I know it’s controversial. Some people love it or hate it but I lived by it in the first 3 years of my business! Time blocking is essentially mapping out your day in advance, assigning specific tasks to set time slots. 

Let’s face it- life throws curveballs and sticking to a schedule down to the minute is sometimes unrealistic. Instead I like to block my time in my flexible chunks so I would dedicate one day to each client. That way I could get all their tasks done before moving on to my next client. It’s all about being intentional with your time.

Setting up processes

One of the best things I did when starting my business, even though I only had 3 clients to start, was setting up processes early on. Even with a small client base, it helped me stay organized and present a professional experience. 

Here’s what I did- I created simple workflows for things like onboarding new clients, tracking deadlines and managing invoices. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy but as long as you have templates and checklists it will save you from reinventing the wheel every time. I still reassess and tweak as needed or as I learn what works best but start creating systems and processes now. The future you will thank you!

Utilize business tools

If you’re going to take one time saving move from this blog, make it this- utilize business tools! (Even when you think you don’t need them yet).

When you start out with a small client base doing things manually is no big deal, BUT even a simple tool can make a huge difference!

A project management tool like Trello or Asana helped me track tasks without relying on misplacing sticky notes and random lists. Social media schedulers can be a game changer and not only for  our own business but for your clients as well. 

Another simplifying tool? Quickbooks! I thought that spreadsheets were enough for tracking income and expenses when I started my business but it quickly got overwhelming. Not only was I able to track expenses , and help me to prepare for tax season but I could send polished and professional invoices to clients too! 

Templates

I feel that templates get overlooked quite often, but they can be such a time saver! Templates help streamline repetitive tasks and keep your communication and workflows consistent and professional. Yes, they will take you a little while upfront but once you have them in place, there’s no doubt it will be a powerful time saving tool for your toolbox! I use templates for emails such as follow up, new client inquiries, or project updates. I also utilize templates for launch timelines, and templates for freebies. I personalize and edit them as needed but having a solid starting point can save you hours in your day! 

Support

Lastly, which took me the longest to figure out,  but I got support even when I thought my business wasn’t “ big enough” to need help. For the longest time I believed I had to do everything for myself and that mindset quickly led to burnout and slowed my growth. 

My first step toward getting help was hiring a virtual assistant to help me in my business for just 10 hours a month. I was finally able to stop sweating the small stuff like inbox management and scheduling and put my energy where it really mattered.

Start small, figure out what tasks you can delegate, and even a little support can save time, reduce stress, and help your business grow faster than you thought possible.

Want help creating systems in your business? Set up a clarity call today so we can set your business up for sustaining success.