Dear Women,
Running a handmade business is beautiful, but it's also a huge time sink! Many of us, in addition to creating, have to manage marketing, sales, accounting, and household and family care. It often happens that we feel overwhelmed and think there isn't enough time for anything. But the truth is, each of us has the same 24 hours a day – it's all about how we use them.
Priorities, priorities, and more priorities
In this article, I'll show you how to effectively manage your time, eliminate unnecessary activities, and gain more peace of mind and productivity. I myself have gone from sewing children's clothing to earning a living from selling my own digital products and online courses. I've been in business for 10 years and am still looking for ways to be more efficient without sacrificing family life.
Now I'll share with you some practical techniques that work for me.
1. Analyze current time usage and identify time thieves
Before you change anything, it's important to understand where your time is going. I recommend keeping a time log (or start toggling your work – Toggl.com). For a whole week, write down how you spend your day, and be honest with yourself.
Typical time thieves:
- Social media – scrolling through Instagram "just for a minute" can stretch into hours
- Chaotic planning – a lack of clear priorities means we jump between tasks without results
- Perfectionism – we try to do everything perfectly, but sometimes 80% done is better than 100% never finished
- Unclear boundaries – family, friends, or customers often take up your time if you don't clearly state "I'm working now"
▶ Exercise: Keep a weekly activity log and at the end of the week, evaluate where your time was lost.
2. Setting clear goals and priorities
One of the biggest killers of productivity is not knowing what to work on right now. I know how easy it is to get caught up in a daily routine that doesn't bring us closer to our long-term goals.
How to set priorities?
SMART method – Your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound
Eisenhower Matrix – Divide tasks into four categories:
1. Important and urgent – do immediately
2. Important but not urgent – schedule
3. Unimportant but urgent – delegate
4. Neither important nor urgent – eliminate
▶ Exercise: Write down 3 main goals for the next month and the specific steps to achieve them.
3. Using a task management system
Paper to-do lists are fine, but if you want to keep track long-term, I recommend trying apps like Trello, Asana, or Todolist (I'm currently using TickTick.com and it's great)
Advantages of a digital system:
✅ You have an overview of all tasks in one place
✅ You can easily plan deadlines
✅ You won't forget anything
▶ Exercise: Sign up for one of these tools and create your first task list.
4. Time blocking as a key to focus
One of the most effective time management methods is time blocking. This means dividing your day into blocks and assigning a specific task to each. Thanks to blocking, I'm better able to achieve a state of complete focus – FLOW.
🔹 Example schedule for a handmade entrepreneur:
- 8:00–9:00 → responding to messages and emails
- 9:00–12:00 → sewing/creating products
- 12:00–13:00 → lunch and break
- 13:00–15:00 → marketing (social media, photos, product descriptions)
- 15:00–16:00 → planning and business development
Don't forget that it's important to allow for short relaxation breaks between blocks.
5. Delegation and outsourcing
You don't have to do everything yourself! As your business grows, it's definitely worth considering delegating some tasks:
- Accounting → leave it to a professional, you'll save hours of stress
- Social media management → find a virtual assistant
- Order fulfillment → if you sell a lot, involve family in packaging or hire help
▶ Exercise: List the activities that exhaust you the most and think about what could be delegated.
6. Routines and habits for higher productivity
Having a clear routine helps maintain a system. A great example is a morning ritual that puts you in a good mood for the day. Every morning, I feed the guinea pigs and have a clear task to start the day – lighting the fire in the fireplace. Even if these are small activities that may not be related to your business, they help prepare your brain for what's to come.
Examples of productive habits:
☕ Start the day calmly – no social media right after waking up (ban your phone until it's needed for work)
📋 Prepare your plan for the next day in the evening
🙆♀️ Find time for movement – whether it's a walk or a yoga break
▶ Exercise: Write down your ideal morning routine and try to stick to it for a few days.
7. The importance of rest and work-life balance
Dear women, if you feel tired, it's time to slow down! Burnout is not a sign of success.
Tips for better rest:
🌿 Schedule free time for yourself during the week (of course, it can be once every 2 weeks if you need to work hard)
📵 Implement "offline hours" – turn off work notifications
😴 Prioritize quality sleep – don't go to bed too late. Ideally around 10 PM
😚 Find your outlet – start playing the piano, guitar, climbing a wall. Anything that is outside your business and is not also creative. It will help you switch off your brain and relax.
▶ Exercise: Plan at least two hours just for yourself this week and write down what you will do during that time.
8. Regularly reviewing the system
Once a month, review your system and ask yourself:
✔ Does my plan truly help me achieve my goals?
✔ Do I feel overwhelmed?
✔ Which habits do I want to maintain and what do I need to change?
✅ Tip: Set a calendar reminder for the last Monday of every month to review your time management.
Conclusion
If you adopt these techniques, you will see that your time will be freed up for what is truly important – for family, creativity, and for yourself.
💡 30-day challenge: Gradually introduce time management principles and observe how your day changes. Share your experience and let's support each other!
I wish you all the best in achieving greater ease and joy in your business with this system ❤️
Your Helena aka Šibabi
