For many people, time management skills are one of the trickiest talents to master. From busy workdays and hectic personal lives, balancing everything can seen like a tsunami of tasks. For interior designers, this fact can be particularly true when it comes to running your own design firm. Project management and bookkeeping can take up too much time, or fall to the very end of the to-do list, leaving you in a stressful situation.
So, how do you escape the cycle? Is it possible to improve time management skills? Keep reading to see some simple steps you can take to improve your time management skills and start reaping the benefits.
Create Lists
Creating a list and sticking to it is a great way to help you stay organized, on task, and on time. While a list shouldn’t overwhelm you, it should help you create a clear outline of what you want to accomplish that day (or week) and some simple points on how you can get there. Experts suggest that lists should be derived from our larger goals and include tasks that move us toward those big-picture endeavours. If your list only focuses on minor tasks or the biggest picture, you might find them ineffective or stressful.
Try to make your list doable and ensure it fits within the time constraints you set. If something doesn’t get finished, carry it over so it’s not forgotten on the next day’s list. It may also be helpful to order your list by priority, so the most important items always get done on time. Also, don’t be scared to introduce technology into your list making. There are dozens of apps or software that can help you generate lists, set reminders, and sync them to your various devices for easy accessibility.
Use Your Calendar
Similar to lists, working with a calendar helps you see exactly what you can expect in the upcoming workdays. If you know there’s a big client meeting on Wednesday, it can help you carve out time to prepare for it on Monday and Tuesday, instead of cramming and wasting time the night before. Having an organized calendar helps you prioritize what meetings or deadlines are important and how you can set the time aside to make sure you’re meeting them on time.
If you find yourself constantly pushing back deadlines or rescheduling meetings, your calendar is becoming ineffective. Once something is put on the calendar, do your very best to ensure it happens on time. To further push you to stick to deadlines, consider sharing you calendar with your employees or even clients.
This can help keep communication regarding timing open with everyone, and your clients will appreciate the openness within projects. As a final tip—only use one calendar! This will help you organize everything in your life, from work to dance recitals, ensuring nothing gets missed or forgotten.
Work with the Right Software
When it comes to time management, the last thing on your mind is your business management software. How does it help me manage my time?
With the right business management software, your design firm can streamline every aspect of your business functions, from generating invoices, booking client meetings, managing client requests, and ordering home décor. When you simplify these aspects of business, you can save a surprising amount of time, letting you refocus your energy on other tasks and getting more work done.
Working with business management software designed specifically for interior designers will make managing your business and clients a breeze, improving the quality of your work and your time management skills.
