How to Protect Your Time When You’re an Entrepreneur | EP 269

How to Protect Your Time When You’re an Entrepreneur

1. Sign up for a free Calendly account 01:29
   • Whether it’s people wanting to pick your brain on topics or potential clients asking for a quote, block off time in your calendar to take these calls.
   • Once you block off this time, stick to it! If you set 2 hours on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, only take calls and meetings then. If these fill up, then you can’t talk that week. This will help you protect your time, so you can get back to work.
2. Charge for all time, even calls 02:44
   • Include calls in the cost of a total website bid.
   • You want to charge for any time that you’re giving to someone, not just for when you’re working on their website.
   • Time is your money. Be sure you are getting compensated for that.
3. Be clear about your expectations 03:42
   • Let people know when it’s okay to contact you and how to contact you. Would you prefer a call, an email, or a text?
   • If you don’t want to take calls on the weekend, don’t answer calls on the weekend. Answering calls on the weekend “just this once” sends the expectation that you will again in the future.
4. Close out of time wasting sites like social media 04:24
   • This may seem obvious, but these websites suck up so much of your time.
   • Even if you are posting in a business Facebook group, it may be distracting you from what you are currently working on.
   • Set aside any kind of reactive type work, such as responding to emails or messages. Batch responding to these messages at specific times during the day. It will keep you more productive.
5. Set office hours 06:18
   • This goes along with previous points. If you set office hours and then give those expectations to the client, they are less likely to call you outside of those hours.

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