Introduction

Time is our most valuable resource—yet, in business, it’s easy to lose track of where it goes. You can do three things with time: waste it, spend it, or invest it. Each of these choices impacts the health and scalability of your business. So, how are you managing your time?

Let’s start with a question: On a scale of 1-10, how good is your time management? And perhaps more importantly, where are you spending your time right now in your business?

The Dyslexic SWOT Analysis of Time

To evaluate how effectively you’re using time, we can break it down using a unique “Dyslexic SWOT Analysis.” This framework looks at how time is allocated in a business context, with each category representing a different level of impact on growth:

  1. Strategic Time – The time you invest in activities that drive your business forward. This is the visionary work that aligns with long-term goals and aspirations.
  2. Tactical Time – This is time spent planning and managing the operational aspects of the business, such as creating systems, setting priorities, and establishing processes.
  3. Operational Time – The hands-on tasks and the day-to-day work that keep the business running. While necessary, too much time here can trap you in the weeds, pulling you away from growth activities.
  4. Wasted Time – The distractions, unnecessary tasks, and low-value activities that drain energy and resources. Ideally, this should be minimized to zero.

Step 1: Cut the Wasted Time

The first step toward better time management is to eliminate wasted time. Review your activities and ask yourself: are there tasks I should not be doing? Delegate, outsource, or automate anything that doesn’t require your unique expertise. Freeing yourself from low-value tasks is the foundation of a more strategic approach to time.

Step 2: Reduce Operational Time

Next, minimize the time spent on operational tasks. While necessary, operational work can prevent you from focusing on high-impact areas. Ask yourself: Am I too involved in the daily running of the business? Gradually shift operational responsibilities to capable team members, freeing up time for more strategic planning and growth.

Step 3: Implement Tactical Systems

To scale effectively, you need systems that manage tactical plans and priorities. With the right management structure, your team can handle day-to-day execution while you focus on vision and strategy. Put management in place to deliver tactical plans—this can mean hiring key personnel or using project management tools to track progress.

Step 4: Focus on Strategic Growth

With wasted and operational time minimized, your goal is to spend most of your time on strategic growth activities. This is the work that drives your business toward your vision. Reflect on the future you want for your company and use your time to make that future a reality.

The Bottleneck: Are You the Single Point of Failure?

Many business owners find themselves as the single point of failure—the bottleneck that holds back growth. Ask yourself:

  • Are you the main obstacle to your business’s scalability?
  • Are you a bottleneck for decisions and progress?
  • What would happen if you stepped away for a week? A month?

If you find yourself heavily involved in every part of the business, it may be time to re-evaluate your role. Remember, the goal is to build a commercial profitable enterprise that can scale and thrive without your constant involvement.

Conclusion

Effective time management isn’t just about ticking off tasks; it’s about understanding the impact of each action on your business’s growth. By shifting from wasted and operational time toward tactical and strategic activities, you can build a scalable, profitable business that works for you—not the other way around.

So, where are you investing your time today?