Time Management Tips for Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners
Time is one of the few non-renewable resources in your business. As an entrepreneur or small business owner, you’re often managing everything from client work and operations to long-term vision and daily admin. It’s easy to feel like there’s never enough time to do it all.
But better time management isn’t about squeezing more into your day—it’s about designing your time intentionally, in a way that supports your goals, energy, and capacity.
Here are five strategies to help you manage your time more effectively—without losing sight of the big picture.
1. Prioritize Using the Eisenhower Matrix
Not all tasks are created equal. Some move the needle forward; others keep the lights on. The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple tool that helps you sort tasks into four categories:
Urgent + Important: Do these first. These are time-sensitive and impact your business directly.
Important, not Urgent: Schedule these. They’re strategic—like planning, marketing, and systems building.
Urgent, not Important: Delegate these if possible. They may feel pressing but don’t need your direct attention.
Neither: Eliminate or defer. These often include distractions or low-value busywork.
When you’re clear on what matters most, it becomes easier to say no to what doesn’t.
2. Time Block Your Calendar
Time blocking is a productivity method that helps you move through your day with more intention. Instead of reacting to tasks as they come up, you assign blocks of time to specific activities—emails, deep work, meetings, admin, breaks.
For example, you might block 9–11 AM for focused work, 11–12 for client communication, and so on. Protect these blocks as if they were meetings—with yourself.
Time blocking helps reduce decision fatigue, minimizes multitasking, and makes space for the deep, focused work that actually grows your business.
3. Automate What You Can, Delegate What You Should
As a business owner, your time is valuable. If you’re still spending hours on things like manual invoicing, appointment scheduling, or posting to multiple platforms—consider what can be automated or handed off.
Tools like Notion, HoneyBook, Calendly, or Zapier can streamline operations and reduce admin time.
Delegating to a virtual assistant (like us!) or contractor frees up mental space so you can focus on strategic work.
The goal isn’t to do everything—it’s to do the right things; the things that keep you in your genius zone.
4. Set Clear Boundaries (and Stick to Them) Should
Time management isn’t just a scheduling issue—it’s also about boundaries. Without them, your work will expand to fill all available time.
Define your work hours. Set expectations with clients and collaborators around response times. Schedule breaks and downtime the same way you schedule meetings. This is especially important if you work from home or run a solo business where the lines can blur easily.
Creating spaciousness isn’t lazy—it’s sustainable. You do better work when you’re rested, clear-headed, and not constantly on call.
5. Reflect Weekly to Adjust and Realign
Take 15–20 minutes each week to pause and reflect:
What worked well this week?
Where did your time go?
What can be simplified or systematized?
What do you want to focus on next week?
Weekly reviews help you notice patterns, recalibrate your systems, and get better at time management over time. They also help you reconnect with the why behind your work.
Final Thoughts
Effective time management isn’t about being perfect or hyper-productive. It’s about being thoughtful and intentional with your energy and attention.
The more clearly you define what matters—your priorities, values, and capacity—the easier it becomes to design a business that supports you, not just demands from you.
By: Brandi Lilley