When you’re running a business, there never seems to be enough time in the day. Between managing clients, sorting staff issues, answering emails, chasing invoices, and trying to squeeze in a bit of strategic thinking, it’s easy to feel like you’re treading water. If you’re constantly working late, skipping breaks, or reacting to whatever shouts loudest – it might be time to rethink how you’re managing your time.
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters. If you’re trying to grow your business but feel like your schedule is running you, here are some practical ways to prioritise your time more effectively – with a little help from someone who’s seen behind the scenes of dozens of small businesses.
Start With a Clear View of What You Actually Do
Before making changes, it helps to know where your time is going. For one week, write down everything you do in a typical workday. Not what you *meant* to do, but what actually happened. You might be surprised how many hours disappear into admin, interruptions, or tasks that don’t really move the business forward.
Once you’ve got a list, group similar activities together – emails, meetings, financial tasks, operational stuff, and so on. Ask yourself: What can only you do? What could someone else be trained to handle? And what are you doing out of habit, not necessity?
Set Clear Priorities – Then Stick To Them
Running a business often means everything feels urgent. But not everything is important. That’s why it helps to step back and define your top priorities for the next 90 days. What are the few things that will really make a difference to your business?
Once those are clear, you can use them as a filter for where your time goes. If something doesn’t contribute to those goals, it’s a candidate for delegation, delay, or deletion. It’s not about ignoring the rest – but you can’t give everything equal weight and still expect to make progress.
Delegate – Even If It’s Not Perfect
This is one of the hardest shifts for small business owners. Letting go of tasks can feel risky – what if it’s done wrong? What if the customer complains? But the alternative is you doing everything, all the time, which isn’t sustainable.
Start small. Choose a task you do regularly that someone else could manage with a bit of training. Create a short checklist or record a video of you doing it. Then hand it over – and resist the urge to jump back in unless it’s absolutely necessary. Delegation gets easier the more you do it.
Use Tools That Actually Help
There’s no shortage of productivity tools out there – calendars, timers, apps, project boards. The key is to pick one or two that genuinely support your way of working. If you’re still managing your to-do list in your head or on sticky notes, it’s time to upgrade.
Tools like Trello, ClickUp, or even a shared Google Sheet can help you track tasks, assign responsibilities, and stay focused on what needs doing today – not just what’s screaming loudest.
Build Time for Thinking – Not Just Doing
Many business owners are so busy running around that they never stop to think. That’s where a lot of the value of working with a business consultant comes in. Having someone outside the business, who can ask the right questions, challenge your assumptions, and help you see where your time is going, can make a huge difference.
If you’re always on the back foot, constantly reacting, then chances are you’re not spending enough time on the future of your business. Block out regular time in your week – even just an hour – to step back and work on the business, not just in it.
Work With Someone Who Can Help You Prioritise
Sometimes, the hardest part is seeing your own blind spots. You might know things aren’t working, but you’re too deep in the day-to-day to change it. That’s where a business consultant can help. I work with business owners to find practical ways to reclaim their time, refocus their energy, and set up systems that make life easier – not harder.
If you’re ready to take a step back and sort your schedule properly, get in touch. Let’s figure out where your time’s going – and where it would be better spent.