5 Tips for Managing Time

Here I am again, it's a new year and I'm hoping that this year I will have more time to make time for new ideas and creations. So starting out, I have written down some tips for managing time. 

Trying to manage a small business, an online shop, can be very difficult. Especially if you have a full time day job, a little toddler running around the house, and all those chores like laundry, cleaning, and cooking. Yeap that's me!  I'm always having problems with managing my time, as many things come along every day, to fill up my schedule. But I have so many ideas and things I want to do and create that I will find the time.

Hopefully these tips will help you as they will help me too.

1. Lists! Yes that's right. To do lists are my favourite thing in the world. I have different list. For example. Shopping list, Home cleaning list, Things to make, Etsy shop list, Gift list, Food ideas list, Creative ideas list, and I can go on for ages. Lists basically help me clear my mind. I have it all on paper, in my lovely diary (which I bought from Busy B).
Of course a to do list, can get you carried away, and you could write an awful lot of things that would not be possible to finish in 1 day.
So I suggest, when making your list, place the most important things on top, and consider how much time you need for each task. Therefore you can manage your lists and not add things you know you won't have time doing.

2. Clean Up! It's good to have your work-space clean and clear of bits and pieces before you start working on a new project. This way your mind is clear.

3. Take short breaks! For a cup of tea, for some biscuits, or fruit, or a bite to eat. Your brain needs food and drink to work and perform better. And remember the most important (which I usually forget) DRINK WATER. 

4. Switch off your phone and internet! We can get very distracted with all this new technology and social media going on around us. If you really want to work and concentrate I do suggest it's a good idea to turn off your phone, or just "forget" your phone in the other room. 

5. Make time! Sometimes we just really need to make the effort and make time. Especially, if you have a full time job, and manage a small business at home, through Etsy or any other place and space. Now that I have a baby and my free time is limited, I just decide what is most important for me. For example, do I want to bake a cake, watch TV or work on my blog, site, shop.? That's the most difficult thing. But if you want to grow your business then you have to make sacrifices from other small things you like doing.