It’s true for everyone but especially for entrepreneurs – time is money. Founders work longer weeks than your average 9 to 5 employee. Many put in hours on top of their day job. The right time management tools can help you maximize your productivity and streamline your to-do list.

Feeling overwhelmed by the day-to-day? As a small business owner, you need to be able to focus your time on where you’re needed most, when you’re needed most. You need to keep your mind and calendar clutter-free. That’s when task management systems come in handy!

For entrepreneurs who struggle with balancing their work and personal lives, the right time management tool isn’t just a luxury – it’s a necessity. Effectively managing your time and polishing your task management skills isn’t just good business sense, it’s crucial to maintain your personal health. Luckily, there are a number of both free and paid options out there to choose from. 

Why you need a Task Management Tool

Task management tools are an essential part of any entrepreneur’s life.  They will help you to:

• Keep track of important deadlines and establish a list of todo’s.

• Balance your time more effectively by placing priorities on your list of items.

• Keep better notes and details about all the things you manage.

• Capture ideas as they come and ensure great concepts don’t get lost over time.

• Communicate with other team members more effectively.

Remember, it’s not just about productivity – it’s about efficiency. If you’re struggling to make a tool work for you, then it’s not doing its job and it’s likely not for you. Each software that we’ll talk about has its pros and cons, and it’s not a one-size-fits-all. Think about your needs, your team, and your personality when choosing.

Top 5 Task Management Tools For Entrepreneurs

Here are five different task management systems that you can use to track deadlines, projects, meetings, and anything else that you need to be streamlined and organized.

Google Workspace

An obvious option, Google Workspace, formerly GSuite, provides a custom email for your business and includes your Google necessities Gmail and Calendar. But it also gives you access to Google Sheets, Docs, Drive, Slides, Forms and tasks… all of which are an absolute must for any entrepreneur. 

Monday

Monday is a product that is free for individuals and becomes subscription-based when used for a team. It allows you to assign due dates and priority levels to tasks within a project. Update as you go along so you can track your status and timeline. It’s a great collaborative tool but also great for those who like to visually see their tasks, how important they are, and when they need to be completed.

Trello

Trello is a great choice for working on multiple projects at once. Create different project stages, assign tasks to individuals, and keep track of everyone’s progress in one convenient place. 

Trello has both free and premium options, with different features added on as you upgrade. 

Todoist

Running a one-man show? Todoist might be a viable option for you. Create and organize simple tasks, projects with multiple steps, create priority levels for your entries, and set reminders in a customizable hub – and it has an app! 

If you’re working in a small team, you can delegate tasks as well, making it a great tool for either individuals or groups. 

Priority Matrix

Priority Matrix has a steeper learning curve than others, but can be a powerful tool. Track projects in real-time, generate status reports, and organize files right there within the software. For projects that require a large amount of collaboration and progress-tracking, Priority Matrix is a no-brainer. Plus, it integrates easily with Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Teams.

While there is no free option, Priority Matrix starts as low as $8 a month.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Time Management Tools?

Using a task management system to effectively manage your time will benefit you two-fold. You’ll have less wasted time, and more free time as well. 

The right time management system will help you organize your day from start to finish, lightening your mental workload, decreasing stress, and taking the guesswork out of your schedule. If you’re working with a team, then you’ll have better overall coordination and you won’t duplicate tasks. Overall, this will drastically improve your productivity and help you focus on your day-to-day tasks.

Maintaining Focus and Discipline

At the end of the day, the best tool for managing your time effectively is your own mentality. Strong prioritization and delegation skills are characteristics that all successful entrepreneurs have in common. 

Learning how to identify those high-priority tasks on your list and focusing on those that have a high payoff will maximize your productivity. Recognizing when and how to outsource is critical as you begin to scale up, you take on new clients, and there are certain tasks that need your expertise while others don’t.

Our Summary

As a business owner, you probably tend to feel like you need to do it all on your own. And with the right tool, you can – all while keeping your sanity.

Her Brand & Co. has an entire catalog of courses and workshops to teach you how to best organize and plan everything from basic administrative duties to your marketing strategy, including this month’s free live masterclass. Register today to snag your seat!