Want More Time to Manage Your Contracting Business? Try This!

March 24, 2021
Category: Time Management

I’ve been working with a client from a large contracting company who runs his business by trying to do everything and manage everything. He’s the go-to guy for every question and problem, so he’s constantly interrupted by employees who need something from him. His day is so fragmented that he hardly ever has time to get his own work done. It’s stressful, and it’s only going to get worse as the busy season hits high gear.

Can you relate? If you can, I want to give you two simple time management strategies that I’ve been working on with my client that have helped him take control of his day and get hours back in his week.

Time management isn’t really about managing time. It’s about managing yourself and your interactions with others. So, in working with my client, we’ve created a few simple time rules for him and a couple of rules for his interactions with the folks he works with.

Let me give you some examples because I know that this can really help you too.

Time rules for yourself

These are rules that you make for yourself to be more effective in how you use your time. These rules require you to step up your self-discipline game a few notches. But I know that you can handle it! Here are a few examples:

• Stop jumping from one activity to another depending on who needs me now. Tell them to come back later when I have time.
• Eliminate all distractions when working on things that I need to get done. Turn off the phone, shut the door, don’t check email or voice mail.
• Plan my day, schedule it in my calendar and follow it! Stay the course unless there’s a MAJOR business emergency.

Time rules for your interactions with others

Time rules for your interactions with others are relationship agreements are that you work out in cooperation with other folks about how you’ll respect each other’s time. For example:

• No stopping each other for impromptu hallway meetings.
• Don’t interrupt each other if we’re busy working on something. If the door is shut, don’t come in, knock, text or call.
• Honor your appointments.
  • 1 minute late is late
  • It’s ok to reschedule only under these circumstances: ____________,  ____________ etc.

There’s something magical about an agreement. Let’s say that you and I agree that we’re not going to have hallway meetings anymore. We shake hands to make it official. Then the next time I stop you in the hall, you say, “Hey, didn’t we agree that we weren’t gonna do that anymore?” And I say, “Oh, yeah. Yeah, I forgot. Sorry.” And, if we keep this up, gradually, our hallway meetings disappear. Super simple, but it works!

Here’s what I’d like you to do

1. Take a minute and write down one-time rule you want to follow that you think would make you more time effective. Just pick one for now, let’s start slow.
2. Create an agreement with someone else or your team about how you’ll respect each other’s time. If you work from home a lot, this agreement could even be with a family member. Feel free to use the example above or create one of your own.
3. Great! Now, I want you to actually follow the rule you created for yourself and the agreement with someone else. Yes, Really! Starting now. Track your success to see how well you do.

Give this a try! It really will save you a significant amount of time, reduce your stress and make you more productive in the process!

For more on how you can make the most of your time, check out these articles:

• Use This Simple Technique to Free Up 5 – 10 Hours of Your Time
• A Simple Way to Make More Time to Work on Your Contracting Business
• 5 Ways to Take Control of Your Time to Maximize Your Productivity

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