Photo by Kevin Ku

Every hour is not created equal. 

When you’re a driven and ambitious business owner, your goals and “To-Do List” are constantly growing and evolving. There are more possibilities to pursue and demands on your time than hours in the day. 

That’s why having an effective time management system is more than a best practice.

It’s business growth hormone.

The truth is that all too often, those ever-evolving goals and to-do lists keep entrepreneurs in a task-oriented pattern that limits the possibilities you see, your personal and professional growth, and your profit margin. 

Between striving for peak performance and the quest for balance, you’re constantly looking for the next method, app, or brain hack to make the clock work in your favor when it’s your perspective that needs adjusting.

Challenging the Traditional Definition of Time Management

The problem isn’t that there’s one “right way” to manage your time; it’s that our shared understanding of time management is one-dimensional. 

Like so many facets of life and business, we’re preoccupied with the doing, when who we’re being and how we see the world shapes the opportunities we seize, the choices we make, and the actions we take.

Your time-management process – the way you structure what you do – is the outcome of your unique brain chemistry, available resources, and your mindset. But it is the doing itself, the final step of the process, the “when” and “how long” of accomplishing tasks that utterly dominates the conversation about effective time management skills and systems.

Growing Beyond the Micro-Mindset

This micro-mindset – or small-scale perspective of time management – is only one way of engaging with time. It’s become our standard-setting because it’s how we’re traditionally taught to perceive and prioritize our time – at least in Western culture. 

While this shared understanding is valuable in countless ways, it isn’t the only lens available. By practicing big-picture visioning – or a macro perspective of time management – you position yourself to bring more sustainability and alignment to your personal and professional patterns and processes.

Rather than delineating all of the “to-do’s” of leading your business, zooming out to consider the greater themes and categories of time shifts your mindset from task-level actions to growth-driving priorities. 

Think of it as adjusting the lens through which you view your time. It’s like switching from a narrow flashlight beam to a floodlight that illuminates the entire landscape. It allows you to manage your time and business from a more expansive and informed point of view.

The Three Fundamental Investments: Essential Categories of Time

When it comes to the time you invest in your business, there are three fundamental categories to offer a framework for your new perspective.

Creative Time Investment:

This is the time you intentionally take away from routine business tasks to allow your mind to wander freely. Innovation and ideation thrive when you give your brain room to roam. Walking, hiking, journaling,  or simply playing can spark creativity and unexpected insights.

Strategic Time Investment: 

Absolutely imperative, sacred even, this time is devoted to working ON your business, specifically infrastructure projects necessary for continued growth and sustainability. 

For most of my Catapult clients, consistently implementing this standard looks like allocating Strategic Time in weekly blocks. Ensure they’re protected and free from disruptions and distractions. Whether your blocks last 90 minutes or 3 hours depends on the time and energy you have available in this season of your life and business journey – and what you want to achieve.

Operational Time Investment: 

This is when you tackle the day-to-day work of your business, such as marketing, sales, delivering your product/service, financial management, and staff management.

This simple reframing of how you perceive your time investment is an active practice in cultivating a growth mindset that positions you to work and lead from a place of meaningful, sustainable alignment. By molding your time in a way that works for you, you’ll discover a renewed sense of balance and productivity.

Master Your Time Mindset: The Power of Perspective

Every hour is not created equal, but it’s how you perceive and utilize your hours that actually makes a difference. 

Shifting your perspective from the micro-mindset of task completion to the macro mindset of holistic time management sets a new standard for success. It empowers you to achieve your goals and grow yourself and your company without compromising your well-being or your business’s bottom line. 

Are you ready to unlock your full potential as a high-performing business owner? 

Let’s explore how shifting your perspective and your thought process can revolutionize your life and your company. 

Challenge yourself to grow personally, professionally, and profitably. Reach out to me today for a personalized conversation about your time, your goals, and your growth trajectory.