Small Business Research and Enterprise

By: Mohib Ali, Business Adviser for Small Business Research + Enterprise Centre

Entrepreneur is like being the lead actor, director, scriptwriter, and janitor of a movie that’s being filmed live, with no budget, and the plot keeps changing. Time management? Ha! That’s the mythical unicorn we all chase while replying to emails during lunch and pitching to investors in our dreams.

Disclaimer!! I was terrible and still am a little at time management, it was a big weakness of mine. But with experience, discipline, and growing up I think I am better now than I was 5 years ago.

Here are some realistic, slightly ridiculous, but genuinely helpful time management tips that has helped me and I am hoping it will help you stay sane, productive, and maybe even get a full night’s sleep (but no promises).

And guess what? We here at SBREC can help, well, with most of these.

1. The To-Do List: Friend or Frenemy?

To-do lists are great, until they become a scroll of doom. Keep it short. Ruthlessly short. If your list looks like the credits of a Batman movie, I am sorry to say, you’re doing it wrong.

Pro tip: Start each day with a “Top 3” list. These are the three things that, if done, will make you feel like a productivity machine. Everything else is just gravy (or chaos, depending on the day).

SBREC Tip: Need help prioritising? Book a 1:1 with an advisor who won’t judge your list (even if it includes “buy printer ink” and “take over the world”).

2. Time Blocking: Because Multitasking is a Lie

I personally feel, multitasking is just a fancy way of doing several things badly at once. Instead, try time blocking, dedicate chunks of your day to specific tasks.

9–10 AM: Emails (aka the digital avalanche)

10–12 PM: Deep work (aka pretending Slack doesn’t exist)

2–3 PM: Meetings (aka trying not to say “let’s circle back”)

4–5 PM: Admin tasks (aka the stuff you wish you could outsource to a robot)

Bonus tip: Block time for “thinking” too. Yes, just thinking. It’s underrated.

SBREC Tip: Use our co-working space to block out distractions (and avoid the temptation to reorganise your furniture at home).

3. Delegate Like a Boss (Even If You’re the Only Employee)

If you’re a solo founder, delegation sounds like a cruel joke. But hear me out: automation is delegation’s cooler cousin. Use tools like Zapier, Notion, or Trello to automate repetitive tasks.

Hire freelancers for things you hate (design, bookkeeping, writing emails that sound like you’re not crying inside).

Remember: Just because you can do everything doesn’t mean you should.

SBREC Tip: We’ve got a vetted list of local freelancers and service providers. Ask us, we actually know people.

4. Say No Like You Mean It

Entrepreneurs are allergic to saying no. We want to seize every opportunity, attend every networking event, and reply to every “quick question” that’s a 3-hour rabbit hole.

My mantra: “If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a polite no.”

Your time is your most valuable currency. Spend it like a billionaire.

SBREC Tip: Our workshops on strategic planning can help you spot the difference between a golden opportunity and a glittery distraction.

5. The Pomodoro Technique: Tomato-Powered Productivity

Work for 25 minutes, break for 5. Repeat. It’s called the Pomodoro Technique. Invented in the late 1980s and yes, it’s named after a tomato-shaped kitchen timer.

It’s surprisingly effective, especially when your brain feels like a browser with 24 tabs open.

Warning: May cause sudden bursts of productivity and smugness.

SBREC Tip: Join our productivity sessions where we do Pomodoro sprints together. Yes, we even have snacks. Or just ask me, I take a lot of breaks!!

6. Beware the “Busy Trap”

Being busy isn’t the same as being productive. If you find yourself saying “I’m so busy” more than “I’m making progress,” it’s time to reassess.

Ask yourself: Am I working on things that move the needle? Or am I just rearranging digital furniture?

SBREC Tip: Our advisors can help you audit your time and refocus on what grows your business (and your sanity).

7. Schedule Your Chaos

Entrepreneurship is unpredictable. So, schedule time for the unexpected. Leave gaps in your calendar for fires to put out, spontaneous brilliance, or existential crises.

It’s not wasted time, it’s buffer time. Like airbags for your schedule.

SBREC Tip: We offer mentoring sessions where you can vent, plan, and laugh about the chaos. It’s like therapy, but with spreadsheets.

Final Thoughts: You’re Doing Great (Even If You Don’t Feel Like It)

Time management isn’t about cramming more into your day; it’s about protecting your time from everyone (including yourself).

Time management also isn’t about perfection; it’s about survival with style. You’re building something from scratch, and that’s heroic.

Helps to remind yourself: your business needs a visionary, not a frazzled admin with 24 browser tabs open.

Guard your time, treat it like a first edition Batman comic book. Because at the end of the day, you don’t just run your business, your business runs on you, and you can’t scale if you’re perpetually stuck in “reply all” purgatory.

So, just laugh at the madness, share this blog with your fellow chaos commanders, and remember even Bruce Wayne loses his keys sometimes, I’ve seen it.

Now go forth, reclaim your hours, and maybe, just maybe, finish your coffee while it’s still warm.

When you need a hand, a plan, or just a decent freshly brewed coffee, SBREC and I are here for you.

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*We strive to do our best when supporting small business and their growth. Our business databases can give you information and data that can help you with advertising, market research, company information, and industry factsheets. If you have already taken the plunge, we would love for you to join us at a seminar, our workshops cover digital marketing, business model canvas and planning, demystifying taxes and intellectual property to name a few. Visit our events page or website for more information.