Master Time Management with 9 Simple Steps

My 9-Step Time Management System

1. Managing Time vs. Creating Time

At the core of time management lies the difference between managing time and creating time. Managing time involves tasks such as handling company affairs, planning live stream operations, and one-on-one communications with employees. These tasks are crucial but do not directly propel company growth. On the other hand, creating time encompasses activities like developing new brand promotion strategies, brainstorming YouTube channel content, and planning live stream topics. Though not urgent, these activities are vital for long-term business development.

2. Protecting My Creative Time

To safeguard my creative time, I’ve clustered meetings and work arrangements on Tuesdays and Thursdays, maximizing the amount I accomplish on these days. During the gaps between meetings, I tackle quick tasks. This scheduling strategy frees up three days dedicated to deep thinking and high-value projects, such as outlining brand marketing directions and forming long-term strategies, which genuinely drive company progress.

3. Delegation as an Essential Skill

Attempting to handle everything on your own will drain your time. Delegate tasks that can be managed by others or automated by technology without hesitation. Upon reaching a certain income level, I hired an assistant to manage daily trivialities, allowing me to concentrate on high-efficiency decisions and strategic planning.

4. Ceasing Unimportant Activities

Occasionally, urgent client demands for after-sales service crop up, such as requests for expedited refunds. In the past, I would abruptly interrupt my work flow to address these issues. Now, my assistant handles these tasks, freeing me to focus on income-generating and growth-oriented pursuits, like exploring new collaborations or designing marketing campaigns.

5. Pricing My Time

I value my time at $100 per hour. If the cost of a task falls below this rate, I choose to outsource it, which allows me to concentrate on genuinely valuable activities. Tasks such as organizing company operations and developing live stream solutions take precedence over minor errands. Previously, I would invest much effort into trivial tasks; now I seek more efficient problem-solving methods.

6. Using Tools to Buy Time

I employ various tools to increase my efficiency, such as:

• Chatgpt, which has significantly enhanced my productivity in multilingual environments.
• Make.com for quickly automating content creation and distribution.
• Notion, where I store all my document resources.
• Lark (Feishu) for meeting notes, thus saving time on meetings.

7. Parenting as Mutual Growth

As a busy working mother, I also cherish spending time with Mandy. We engage in everyday tasks together, such as tidying up, doing simple chores, or grocery shopping. My favorite part is our nightly “family reading time,” where I aim to teach her independence and cherish the time we spend together amidst a hectic lifestyle.

8. Drawing Boundaries

Setting definitive end times for work is imperative. Although completely detaching from work might be challenging as a business owner, maintaining long-term energy and creativity necessitates clocking off at a set time to be with family.

This approach to time management not only enhances productivity but also ensures a balanced lifestyle that integrates work, personal growth, and family life.

Bella Jin

co-Founder of Pongo