Lack of time is one of the key challenges small business owners and sole’preneurs face – and don’t we know it – a simple google search for ‘Time Management’ returned 2,510,000,000 hits. What is the best use of my time? How can I better manage the juggle? How do I find time to do the most important things in my business? How do I find time to do everything else? How do I improve my time management? Help me!
The great irony about ‘time management’ is how much time we spend thinking about how we could, or should, be managing our time differently to get more done. Was there ever a greater waste of time? Probably not.
Happily, the concept of ‘time management’ is one you can move away from right now, forever, because there is a better way. Time management is an outdated concept.
It’s time to rethink time
Time is the one asset we all have exactly the same amount of, and which no-one can gain more of, no matter how clever, wealthy or stealthy they are. You have exactly the same amount of time each day as Elon Musk. And so, the smart workaround is to learn how to think about, treat and utilise your time in such a way as to ensure that you use all of it well, all of the time.
How do I do this?
It’s time to move away from a mindset of having to ‘manage’ your time to a mindset of wanting to ‘invest’ your time.
Remember, always, that your time is money. Your time, just like your money – is a precious, enormously valuable, and limited resource that needs to be consciously invested for the greatest possible return so that your wealth and success grow.
Business owners who shift their mindset this way, and learn the skill of ‘time investment’ will gain an enormous advantage over those who continue to think about time as something that just needs to be managed.
Kate Christie is the Founder & CEO of Time Stylers and is a Time Investment specialist; global Speaker; consultant and the best-selling Author of four books. Kate’s most recent book, Me First: The Guilt-free Guide to Prioritising You, is available at all good bookstores.
A little something from Sole
Sole is SUPER excited to have partnered with Kate Christie as part of its Back Yourself 2022 campaign. Kate’s breadth of experience working with a range of clients (big and small) to help them optimise their productivity and output places her in great stead to offer invaluable insight on this too often underrated topic to sole traders/self-employed/freelancers. Sole hopes to continue to build its partnership with Kate and deliver more thought-provoking and beneficial content for its members and other sole traders.
Are you a sole trader/freelancer or self-employed looking to up your time investment in 2022? Join Kate Christie for her 2.5 hour Power Up Your Productivity Workshop on 15 February 2022 at 12pm! Click here for more details and to purchase your ticket for $95. Use the Coupon Code ‘SOLE’ to receive a 3 month FREE subscription to Sole valued at $45.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is time investment and how is it different from time management?
Time investment focuses on treating time like a valuable resource that should be invested in high-value activities, rather than simply managing tasks and schedules.
Why is time important for sole traders and small business owners?
Time directly impacts productivity, profitability, and business growth. Using time effectively allows business owners to focus on activities that generate the greatest return.
How can sole traders improve their productivity?
Sole traders can improve productivity by prioritising important tasks, eliminating distractions, automating repetitive processes, and investing time in activities that support business growth.
What are the benefits of viewing time as an investment?
Viewing time as an investment helps business owners make better decisions about where to focus their efforts, leading to improved efficiency, profitability, and long-term success.
How can accounting software help save time for small business owners?
Accounting software can automate bookkeeping, expense tracking, invoicing, and reporting tasks, reducing manual work and allowing business owners to spend more time on growing their business.
