I’ve written before about how hard it can be for me “turn off” my work self and actually leave work behind. I think I’m in pretty good company when it comes to entrepreneurs and folks who run their own businesses. But, I also know that making the most efficient use of our time can be a challenge for those of us who run our own businesses or work from home too. Without a concrete job to clock in and out of, we often juggle multiple tasks during what would be considered a “work day”—work, family, home, community. Here are some suggestions for how to make the most of “down time”—those bits of time when your time isn’t spoken for…
Since I do a lot of freelance writing, one of my biggest challenges is coming up with ideas for articles and blogs. It always feels like a waste of time for me if I sit down at my computer to write and don’t have plenty of ideas to actually write about. So, I use a good portion of my “down time” for generating article ideas. I keep several spiral notebooks around my house—including in my carry bag, in the kitchen, in the living room and by my bed. That way I can jot down ideas as they come to me and I won’t be stuck trying to dredge up ideas when I’ve actually got the time scheduled to write.
I also use the time when I climb into bed at night to make a list to organize myself for the next day. I take a few minutes to jot down what I need to accomplish the next day—monetary goals, deadlines, outside meetings. That way, I feel organized when my feet hit the floor in the morning instead of trying to remind myself what I need to do.
Time spent commuting, waiting in line, grocery shopping, or completing other tasks can also be used as idea-generating time, or working on lists and contact plans. As a writer, I have even trained myself to jot down outlines and article ideas while I’m doing some of these things. If you have a cell phone (and you’re not driving) you can also use the time to make client contacts or phone calls.
Of course, there is a point when multitasking becomes mania, but as someone trying to build a business, every second seems to count.