Success Advice
How to Be a Responsible Investor of Your Time
As someone who thrives on productivity and performs best when tasked with multiple challenges and responsibilities, I’m constantly trying to sharpen my entrepreneurial toolkit. Staying busy means my brain is “on” 24/7, and I prefer it that way.
But at the same time, I’ve also learned how to optimize my time management so that I stay productive, motivated, and most importantly, fulfilled. If you’re struggling with time management, regardless of your seniority or the industry you’re in, there are ways you can work on being more strategic with your time investments so you get more from your time in the long run.
Just like investing, learning how to make time work for you — not the other way around — is a key step in scaling your business and your personal ambitions.
Here are 4 ways I’ve learned on how to invest my time more wisely:
1. Audit your schedule
One way to evaluate if you’re truly streamlining your workday, tasks, and schedule, is by performing a self-audit. Every smart and successful business owner and employee will also constantly be thinking in terms of the bottom line, and it should be no different when it comes to demands on your time.
Say you (or your employees) spend five hours on a task and that roughly translates to $300 in labor, yet the lifetime value for the product is far less than that. Not only are you wasting your time, you’re wasting your money. Hold yourself accountable. Learn how to manage your time wisely, and never waste it.
To perform an audit, use an old-school planner, free timesheet application, Google calendar, Asana — whatever task manager that works best for you — and time how long each task takes. If you learn that one of the items in your to-do list is a time-drainer, think about smart workarounds.
Is there a tool you haven’t tried that could automate some of your work? If, for example, you’re the one doing all the billing for your company, is it possible to outsource this duty? Can you delegate it? Have you looked into virtual assistants?
The reality is, you will always have the same amount of time, but if you want to succeed, your responsibilities and goals will only increase. This is why one audit is not enough. As your business grows, perform routine audits to ensure you’re still on track and budgeting your time wisely.
“Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year – and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade!” – Tony Robbins
2. Invest in others
Hiring smart, capable, out-of-the-box thinkers is how you will succeed as a business leader in your industry. Your most important team member? You can guess: Your co-founder. This person will be your #2, your deputy, your partner-in-crime. They will be the one who you can rely on when working out complex deals with clients, and piecing together a business strategy to lay out for investors. But this person can’t just be any smart individual with an impressive resume, they need to counterbalance your strengths and weaknesses.
For example, you will never succeed if your business partner is the type to agree with all of your decisions. You need someone who will push back, challenge you, and think ahead. Investing in the right people has strong dividends because they end up saving you time in the long run by coming to you with solutions, not problems.
Building a team isn’t easy, but just remember: Always hire smart people and let them bring their ideas to the table. As Steve Jobs once said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.”
3. Don’t let the small stuff weigh you down
For small business owners, it may be necessary for you to roll up your sleeves and work on the more granular, time-consuming tasks at hand so that your business survives. However, as soon as you finally do have the resources and the staff, you must step back and focus on high-level items.
So many of us get knee-deep in day-to-day executions, that we forget to step back and look at the bigger picture. That can be dangerous for long-term strategy and monetization planning. Regardless of whether you’re an entrepreneur, consultant, or employee — it doesn’t matter. You should always try to carve out time in your day to take those important steps back and create, or re-evaluate your roadmap.
Don’t just think big ideas, think colossal ideas. If you’re a mid-level employee and must ask your manager to have the spare time to be able to do this, chances are, they will be more than happy to do so, as it shows you’re showing higher-level initiative.
“Those who believe they can move mountains, do. Those who believe they can’t, cannot.” – David J. Schwartz
4. Optimize your day-to-day life
You should use the time you spend at home as a way to unwind, be with your family and loved ones, and quite simply, relax. But you should also be thinking ahead to the next day and how you can improve and optimize the tasks ahead of time.
This could be something as simple as prepping your briefcase on a Sunday night before work. It could be making your task list for the next day so you’re ready to go first thing in the morning. Work out what your daily optimization “hacks” look like, and you’ll find that not only do they save you time so that you can be focusing on higher-level plans, but they’ll create less stress and chaos in your personal life and your overall career.
Ultimately, you want to feel in control of your own time, not the other way around. The time you have is the time you can spend coming up with the next great idea, the time you can spend cracking the code for an important project, and the time you spend working on yourself and your skill set. Never underestimate or undervalue time, and know that if you invest in it the most strategic way, the payoff will be exponential.
Are you good with time management? Share your tips & advice for our readers below!
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Personal Development
These 11 Habits Will Make You More Productive, Successful, and Confident
Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.
Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.
But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.
Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.
1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task
Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.
After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.
Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.
But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.
2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First
Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.
Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”
For example, if you’re a writer:
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Research your topic at night.
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Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).
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Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.
You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.
3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace
Focus is the foundation of success.
According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.
Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.
Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.
4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life
Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”
This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.
If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.
5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills
Knowledge compounds over time.
Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.
I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.
Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.
6. Develop a Growth Mindset
Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.
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A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.
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A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.
Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.
7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You
I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.
If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.
Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.
Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.
8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions
Good mentors can fast-track your growth.
While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.
If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.
9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations
Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”
Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.
When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.
10. Focus on Your Strengths
Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.
If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.
A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.
Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.
11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs
Your beliefs shape your reality.
For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.
Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.
Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.
Final Thoughts
Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.
You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.
Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.
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