Running a business on your own can make it feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. Solopreneurs often juggle multiple roles—marketing, sales, product development, customer service, and more—making effective time management crucial to staying productive and avoiding burnout.
Here are 4 time management hacks specifically tailored for solopreneurs to help you get more done in less time, without sacrificing quality or burning out.
1. Time Blocking
Why it Works:
Time blocking is a highly effective way to structure your day, making sure important tasks are completed. Instead of working through a never-ending to-do list, you allocate specific blocks of time to individual tasks or categories of tasks. This prevents distractions and allows you to focus fully on the task at hand.
How to Do It:
Start by identifying your key tasks for the day or week. Then, assign a dedicated time block to each task. For example, you might block out 9-11 AM for content creation, 1-2 PM for answering emails, and 3-5 PM for client calls. During these blocks, focus exclusively on the task at hand and avoid multitasking.
Real Example:
A freelance designer used time blocking to balance client work and business development. Every morning, she reserved the first two hours for creative work, as she knew her energy levels were highest then. In the afternoons, she worked on business growth activities like networking or updating her portfolio. By separating the tasks, she was able to stay focused and build her client base while improving her business simultaneously.
2. The 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle)
Why it Works:
The 80/20 rule suggests that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. For solopreneurs, this means you should focus on the small percentage of tasks that have the biggest impact on your business. This helps eliminate busy work and redirects your time toward high-value activities.
How to Do It:
Take a step back and assess which of your tasks directly contribute to growing your business or moving it forward. For instance, if you notice that a small handful of clients generate the majority of your revenue, you should focus more of your time nurturing those relationships instead of spending equal time on less profitable tasks.
Real Example:
An online coach realized that her blog and YouTube content were bringing in the most clients compared to her social media posts. Instead of spreading herself thin across every platform, she decided to double down on creating high-quality blog posts and YouTube videos, where her ideal clients were engaging the most. As a result, she attracted more leads in less time while cutting down her work hours by 30%.
3. Batching Similar Tasks
Why it Works:
Task-switching can drain your mental energy and reduce productivity. Batching is the process of grouping similar tasks together and completing them in one focused session. This helps you stay in the same mental flow and eliminates the constant switching between different activities.
How to Do It:
Identify tasks that are similar in nature and schedule them in batches. For example, rather than responding to emails throughout the day, dedicate an hour to answering all your emails at once. Similarly, batch social media content creation by setting aside a few hours to create and schedule posts for the entire week.
Real Example:
A solopreneur running a digital marketing agency found himself constantly interrupted by emails and administrative work. He implemented batching by setting Mondays aside for admin tasks like invoicing and emails, and Tuesday through Friday for client projects. This system allowed him to dive deep into client work without being interrupted and reduced his overall workload by 25%.
4. Automate and Delegate
Why it Works:
Some tasks are repetitive and can easily be handled by automation or outsourced to freelancers. Automating or delegating frees up your time so you can focus on more strategic aspects of your business.
How to Do It:
Look for areas in your business that can be automated or delegated. Tools like Zapier can automate workflows between apps (e.g., automatically adding email subscribers to your CRM). For tasks like graphic design or social media management, consider hiring freelancers on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr to take on the smaller tasks that consume your time.
Real Example:
A solopreneur running an e-commerce store was spending hours each week manually updating inventory and fulfilling orders. By switching to automated inventory management software and outsourcing fulfillment to a third-party service, she saved herself nearly 10 hours a week. With that extra time, she focused on product development and marketing, which grew her revenue by 15% within two months.
Your Secret Weapon: Focus and Streamline Your Money-Making Efforts
Time management is crucial, but another key to solopreneur success is focusing on the right income-generating activities. By streamlining your tasks and focusing on what brings the most value to your business, you’ll be able to maximize your productivity and revenue.
Not sure where to start in terms of making money or what side hustle might work for you? That’s where Build 2 Thrive can help.
Get Your Personalized Money-Making Report
If you’re looking to boost your income but aren’t sure which path to take, my Build 2 Thrive service offers personalized money-making strategy reports. These reports are tailored to your skills, interests, and schedule, giving you actionable steps to start earning.
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