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Merrick, NY—“I’m so busy working at my business that I don’t have time to work on my business!”

Sound familiar? Of course it does. And if you’re like most jewelers, you’ve probably been to at least one conference session devoted to the topic of time management. But as you know, without sufficient time to work on developing your business for the future, you can find yourself falling further and further behind.

Author Michael Hyatt, whose blog on leadership has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and more, offers some quick tips to help you find the time to do that important project or just work on planning for the future.

1. It’s not about managing your time, it’s about managing your priorities. Everyone has 168 hours in a week. It’s up to you to decide how important your special project is compared to everything else.

2. Where you are now is the result of your own choices. They’re not necessarily wrong or bad, but acknowledge that you made them. Ask yourself if you’re ready to make new choices—and remember that it’s ok to say “no,” as long as it’s intentional and not an excuse.

3. Set a clear, measurable goal with a due date on it. That turns a dream into something more urgent.

4. The way to overcome inertia or keep going when you’re frustrated is to clearly see what the rewards are if you do the project and what the costs are if you don’t. Make a list and keep it handy for motivation.

5. Schedule the time on your calendar. This, says Hyatt, is the crux of the matter. Make an appointment with yourself and treat it with the same importance you would any other critical appointment. Don’t sacrifice the important for the urgent, he says; if someone wants the block of time you’ve set aside for yourself or your project, be brave enough to say no. You aren’t available because you have another commitment. You don’t need to elaborate, he says, and typically, you’ll find their need can be met at another time.

Read the full article here.

Top image: IKEA.com