Time Management Tips & Tricks

UPDATED 05/10/2025

Do you practice time management? Many of us don’t. I’ve been there, but have learned how to do just that. It’s why I’m sharing my best tips with you.

First, let’s consider a few things:

1. We all have 24 hours in a day.
2. Despite what some may believe, we have ONE life.
3. Time is the ONLY constant.

Even though we all know this, time is one of the biggest things we struggle with. Sometimes we don’t know what our priorities are and most of us don’t plan ahead—either well or at all. Before the pandemic, I struggled big time with my time management.

Pre-COVID, I felt like I was constantly rushing from one thing to the next and was always busy. During COVID, I remember listing to a podcast with Dave Hollis (RIP!) and he said something that changed my life.

“Figure out what is worth rushing back to.”

It stopped me dead in my tracks and made me realize that all the rushing around I was doing might not have been the best decision. I immediately wanted to analyze my life, see how I was spending my time, and learn what my heart was being called to do. I didn’t know how, but I knew how to start to practice better time management. Here’s what I did:

1. Looked at home I was spending my time. – Like a really good look. I asked myself what activities I was doing daily and weekly. Then based on that, I asked myself if I was truly spending my time wisely. When I say “wisely”, I mean doing things that made my heart sing, moved the needle forward, and brought me closer to my dreams.
2. Started to control my time. – Once I analyzed my time, I knew I had to make a few changes. Especially if I wanted to be in control. So I thought about my goals and how I wanted to live my life. I knew it wasn’t going to be perfect but I needed to take action and set boundaries.
3. Get my wants and needs on paper. – I took a hard look at how I was spending my time, decided to take control, and now it was time to actually make some decisions. Determining where I wanted to go was the next big challenge. But learning that if my actions are focused and my time is categorized, I can get more done. So I journaled and wrote out all my wants and needs.
4. Get a planner. – I say this so often, but it’s one of my tried and true rules. Whether you use an electronic planner or a paper (like I do), get your schedule out of your head. This allows you to clearly see what’s on your plate and what’s coming up for you and your family. I got in the habit of writing things down and performing a monthly audit. I took a look at the meetings I had, the events I attended, the actions that I took, and the things I did for fun. From this audit, I determined what went well, what could have gone better, what I don’t ever want to do again and what made me feel alive.

These time management tips will help you develop habits that allow you to use your time the way YOU decide.

My mission is to empower individuals to launch their side hustle and transform their ideas into thriving, successful businesses.

I offer tailored admin, operations, and email marketing support for business owners in New England and across the U.S., with packages designed to fit your unique needs.

Jenn Mullen holds degrees in Psychology and Business Management, as well as a certification in health and wellness coaching. She combines over a decade of corporate experience with more than five years of small business expertise, bringing a unique blend of skills and insight to her work. Beyond her expertise, she’s a high-energy, passionate individual with ADHD who thrives on staying organized, bringing laughter to every project, and finding joy in the work she loves.