As a business owner, it’s easy to get overwhelmed in the day-to-day work environment, especially when your business is relatively new. How do you find more time? Develop organizational skills that help you get the work done so you can enjoy your life.

1. Establish priorities. What are you really trying to accomplish with your business this year? This month? This week? Are your daily actions congruent with achieving those goals?

If the task doesn’t support your goals, then you probably shouldn’t be working on it. Set your priorities and stick to them.

2. Understand how you spend your time. Are you easily distracted? Do you put the easier, less important tasks ahead of the most critical projects because you think you work better under pressure? Do you micro-manage and take on everyone’s responsibilities? Are you continuously interrupted?

During the next week, keep a daily journal of how you use your time – from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep. You’ll learn a lot about your time habits. And, you may discover you have more time available than you think.

3. Practice saying NO. You cannot do everything asked of you, and you won’t have to if you know your priorities and how to manage your time. What’s the worst thing that can happen if you say NO? Along with having a better chance of accomplishing your critical tasks for the day, you may actually enjoy a feeling of liberation.

4. Recognize everyone is not you. Don’t get caught up in the “only I can do this right” trap. If an employee can do it 80 percent as well as you, let that be sufficient. Let them do the work you hired them to do.

5. Delegate. Clearly define the expectations for the project or task and delegate it. No one likes to be micro-managed. Watching over their shoulder while they type out a report isn’t delegation. Use your time on something only you can do.

6. Eliminate the unnecessary tasks. Beware of “we’ve always done it this way” thinking. It may not be the best way or even be necessary. Protocol changes with the times. If no one reads that weekly report, it’s probably a needless waste of time and effort.

7. Grow your personal foundation. Take time and steps to strengthen and broaden your perspective on how to maximize your productivity in the workplace. Keep your mind open to new organizational training and tools. The more you work on tools for using your time better, the more time you’ll squeeze out of your week. You may even find the extra time is best suited for fun.

Keith Hicks is a Licensed Professional Business Coach with the PBCA, is CEO of Rudder Business Coaching, and has 20-plus years of relevant business experience that includes positions in large CPG companies and as an officer in the U.S. Navy and Air Force Reserve. E-mail comments to keith.hicks@rudderbusinesscoaching.com or via the website www.rudderbusinesscoaching.com.