Time Management Strategies for Women in Business

Braven Creative is a woman-owned and women-led company that has experienced our fair share of stressful moments brought on by the consequences of poor time management. We've seen how poor time management reduces our clients' productivity and decision-making abilities. As women in business, we understand how there's an added layer of complexity that complicates time management issues even more. You have familial obligations, you want to spend more time with your loved ones, you want to prove yourself to a degree that may be leading to overworking, you may have physical ailments that unexpectedly interrupt you (as women are more likely to have chronic illnesses), or maybe you're dealing with all of those things. Whatever the case may be, we know that it's often more complicated and difficult for women to find their footing in business and to do so with the time management skills that allow them to be the most successful and satisfied version of themselves.

Time management practices are essential tools for any business owner or any person managing a business. Managing your time well reduces stress levels, increases productivity (as we now know the inefficiency of multitasking), helps reach goals, improves work quality, and allows for more energy in your off-time. How does all of that sound? Pretty good. Maybe it even sounds too good to be true. We promise, it's not. There are many things you can do yourself to reorient your efforts and make the most of your days. There are also times when letting go of certain aspects of your business or job is the best thing you can do for yourself, your team, and your loved ones.

Team Braven working outside on a nice day!

Maximizing Your Most Productive Time of Day

What time of day do you feel most motivated and productive? When does your focus start to slip? There has been a lot of research and debate around what time of day is most productive for the human brain, and the short answer is: it really depends on the person.

To build a healthy and strong foundation for your time management tactics, you first need to figure out when you feel the most productive. Most people with average sleep schedules and patterns are most focused and alert between 8 am and 2 pm. Generally, the advice is to set aside time during this period for your bigger, more brain-power-heavy tasks. Then, leave your more mundane and simple tasks for the afternoon. It's also recommended that you stand up and move around, especially if you work from home, once every hour for at least 5 minutes. A walk outside is ideal, but if that's not possible for you, even just changing up your environment from the space you work in helps.

"Reading outside is one of my favorite midday breaks!" -Adriana, Braven copywriter

Balancing Work, Life, and Self-Care

Speaking of taking breaks, longer periods of rest and relaxation are just as much a part of time management as the time you spend working. For women business owners and entrepreneurs, it's hard enough to balance work life and home life, let alone factoring in time for yourself. When you have goals to reach and things to check off your seemingly never-ending to-do list, you might reframe downtime as wasted time, but this is a dangerous slope. Prioritizing time for yourself and your mental health is extremely important and ultimately directly influences your physical health and the success of your business.

Enhancing Business Productivity with Strategic Delegation

You've probably already heard the phrase "Delegation isn't abdication," but it's so well-circulated for a reason. Knowing when it's more efficient to delegate tasks is an important part of being a business owner and successful leader, and is an excellent time management tool. How many times do you find yourself working on a task and thinking of all the other tasks you could be working on instead? Are any of those tasks things you can pass on to someone else?

We know delegating is easier said than done, but at the end of the day, letting go of some control allows you to organize your time in a way that benefits both you and your business. At Braven Creative, we've created a store full of services that allow you to delegate certain tasks to us. We wanted to reimagine how marketing services are available for businesses so that our services, which win you back time and brainpower, are accessible to many different levels of businesses. Allow us to utilize our expertise to advance your business while simultaneously giving you valuable time back that you can use to focus on other areas of your business. See how we can help with ecommerce listing imagery, strong product positioning, ad creative creation, brand management, and more!