As an interior designer, you’re a master of transforming ordinary spaces into works of art. But to run a successful business, you also need to be a master of time. Time management isn’t just a skill; it’s your secret weapon to wearing all the different hats your job requires—visionary, project leader, wrangler of clients and contractors, and so much more.
I really believe it only takes a few simple tweaks to your systems, processes, and habits to make huge leaps in your business. This is why I’m sharing my 5 best time management tips with you today.
Here goes!
Table of Contents
1. Prioritize and plan
First things first, commit to a weekly Planning & Prioritizing session. Maybe it’s 20-30 minutes on a Sunday evening or maybe it’s a Friday afternoon, whatever works for you. The only requirement is you hold this time sacred—it’s going to set the foundation for everything that follows.
Once you sit down for your planning session, follow these steps:
- List all your tasks for the upcoming week.
- Arrange tasks in order of priority.
- Assign tasks to each day of the week, starting with the most critical.
- Limit yourself to no more than 5 tasks per day (trust me, over-ambition is the ultimate killer of productivity).
There you have it! Your weekly plan is set. Armed with this plan, you’ll be way less likely to get sidetracked and much more likely to accomplish your goals efficiently. Plus, it feels really satisfying to check off items on your list as you go.
2. Block your time
Time blocking is an increasingly popular productivity hack among business owners for good reason—it works! Research shows that assigning specific blocks of time to different tasks or categories of work helps you maintain focus and ensures you dedicate sufficient time to each aspect of your business.
Here’s how it works: You might designate blocks in your day/week for client work, another block for admin and marketing, another for errands, and so on. Put each block in your calendar and mark it as busy, so no one can book meetings with you during those times.
I recommend being strategic about how you allocate your blocks. For example, if you know you’re at your freshest and most inspired at the beginning of the week, schedule your creative brainstorming for Monday morning. And while you should always treat your time blocks with the same commitment with which you’d honor a client meeting, be sure and give yourself a little leeway, too. Life happens and we all need a little flexibility.
3. Embrace software
Software that streamlines your workflow is a total game-changer. I know this first-hand. My previous business, Olioboard.com, focused on providing homeowners with tools that made it fun and easy to visualize how products looked within their space. The product was a hit—but not with my intended audience. It was not homeowners but design professionals who were getting the most value out of Olioboard. The tools were saving them So. Much. Time.
This is why I switched gears and founded DesignFiles, which enables you to manage all aspects of your interior design business, from the creative to the administrative. You can create moodboards and floorplans, source products, manage projects, and much more.
By centralizing all your design and project management tasks in one platform, and automating repetitive tasks, you will save HOURS each week. Hours which you can then devote to the things, people, and tasks you truly care about.
You can get started with a free trial here.
4. Minimize distractions
Distractions are one of the biggest time-stealers in any profession. Try tracking your time for a full week, down to the last detail. I bet you’ll be surprised by how much time you spend on activities that aren’t actually furthering your business or life. Once you have an accurate picture of how you’re actually spending your time, you’ll be able to more easily identify and eliminate your most common distractions.
Still, even with the best intentions (“I swear I’m going to stop mindlessly scrolling on Instagram”), it’s hard to stop ingrained habits without a little help. Here are a few strategies to keep you on track when you need to engage in focused work:
- Turn off all non-essential notifications.
- Pause your email inbox (there is actually a super handy Chrome extension that helps you do this with Gmail).
- Try the Pomodoro technique, which uses a kitchen timer to break work into intervals, typically 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. You can get a little desk timer or use this free online version.
- Create a clutter-free environment that fosters concentration.
5. Delegate tasks
As business owners, we all need this reminder sometimes: You don’t have to do everything yourself. Wherever you can, delegate tasks that others can handle, such as admin work or certain project-related responsibilities. Hiring a virtual assistant or a trusted team is an investment that will significantly impact the success of your interior design business. Delegating will free up your time to focus on the creative aspects of your projects which only your unique genius can address.
Conclusion
Above all, remember this: time isn’t just money; it’s your most precious resource. With these time-management strategies in your toolkit, you’re poised to create not only beautiful interiors but also a thriving business with less stress and more satisfaction. Now, go forth and design your schedule just like you design spaces—with precision, flair, and a touch of your unique style.
