Cmon let us tell it like it is.
As an entrepreneur, you may experience a treadmill run lifestyle, and that is you have to keep going at the highest pace. You could be landing a new customer in one minute, and in another, you are poking around invoices, adjusting your web and wondering how your stomach feels like as you had forgotten whether you ever had lunch. Somewhere in there, you’re supposed to find time to “scale.”
Sound familiar?
That feeling of “there’s never enough time” is pretty universal in the world of founders. The reality though is that it is not about having more time in a day but rather using the time that we already have a lot wiser. Therefore, in case you have to do so many things at once and you feel like you are one of those clones you always see in movies, then these are my 12 time-saving hacks as an entrepreneur, which I have tested, refined, and still used.
Let’s dig in.
1. Spend 10 Minutes Planning Before the Day Hijacks You
You know how your day can totally spiral before 10 a.m.?
Here’s something that helped me get ahead of that: I take just 10 minutes each morning to sketch out the day. No screens, just a notebook and coffee.
It’s not a full journal session. I jot down:
1–2 things that must get done (non-negotiables)
Any fires to put out
What can wait
This tiny habit puts you in the driver’s seat—before Slack, email, or clients start steering for you.
2. Time Block (But Not Like a Robot)
I resisted time blocking for years. Felt too rigid.
But then I started doing it my way—chunking time without over-scheduling every second. It made a huge difference.
Here’s the basic idea:
Mornings: Creative work or strategy (brain’s fresh)
Midday: Meetings or calls
Afternoons: Easier stuff—email, admin, follow-ups
You don’t need a perfect system. Just giving your day some structure helps you stop reacting and start leading.
3. Figure Out What Actually Moves the Needle
Every entrepreneur I know is busy—but not all of them are moving forward.
Take 10 minutes and ask yourself:
What are the 3–5 tasks that actually grow your business?
What do you do that nobody else can (and should do)?
What do you spend hours on that could be eliminated?
That little review might sting a bit—but it’s gold.
Focus on the stuff that matters. Everything else? Push it down, pass it off, or pause it.
4. Keep a “Not Now” List (It’s a Lifesaver)
Ever have an idea mid-meeting that feels urgent, but 10 minutes later it’s totally irrelevant?
I used to stop everything to chase those ideas. Now I keep a “Not Now” list in Notion. It’s where I park:
Business ideas
Blog post topics
Tools to check out
People to email later
This way, nothing gets lost, but I’m not constantly derailing myself chasing new shiny things.
5. Automate Anything You Touch More Than Twice
One of my favorite little rules: If I do something more than twice, I find a way to automate it.
Here are a few I swear by:
Calendly for booking calls (no more back-and-forth)
Zapier for sending new form leads to my CRM and email list
Loom to answer recurring questions with one quick video
Most of this stuff takes 20–30 minutes to set up once and saves hours down the line.
6. Outsource Before You Think You’re “Ready”
This one’s tricky. We tell ourselves, “I’ll hire help once I’m less busy.” But guess what? You won’t be less busy until you hire help.
You don’t need a full-time employee. Start with a virtual assistant a few hours a week.
I started with:
Inbox cleanup
Posting on social
Organizing files
Sending client reminders
Just offloading those freed up enough mental space to actually think again.
7. Batching Is a Miracle (Seriously)
Ever notice how it takes you 20 minutes to write one email... but you could write three in 40?
That’s batching.
Pick one type of task—emails, content, outreach—and do several in a row. The more you can stay in one gear, the more efficiently your brain works.
I batch:
Content creation (1 day a week)
Admin tasks (Fridays)
Meetings (Tues/Thurs only)
Fewer transitions = more progress. Simple math.
8. Don’t Let 2-Minute Tasks Pile Up
I use a spin on the famous “2-minute rule.” If something’s going to take under 2 minutes, and won’t derail my focus, I do it right then.
But if it’s short but annoying (like chasing a missing invoice), I dump it into a “later” bin and batch it for Friday.
This helps you:
Clear out small stuff
Stay focused on your real priorities
Avoid letting micro-tasks hijack your whole day
9. Make Time to Think (Yes, Schedule It)
This sounds counterintuitive when you’re swamped, but: thinking time is some of the most valuable time you can spend.
Block 30–60 minutes weekly just to think—about what’s working, what’s not, what you could stop doing entirely.
I use mine to journal, sketch out ideas, or zoom out on the big picture. No phone, no email, just space.
Crazy how much clarity comes when you’re not rushing.
10. Use “Let Me Check” as Your Default Response
Here’s one of my favorite phrases:
“Let me check my schedule and get back to you.”
You’d be amazed how much time you save by not saying “yes” on the spot.
Every request is a time cost. This phrase gives you breathing room to think:
Is this important?
Do I have space for this?
Am I just trying to be polite?
Saves time and regrets.
11. Create Templates Like Your Life Depends On It
Templates are underrated.
Got a proposal to write? A pitch to send? A follow-up email? Make a template once, tweak it forever.
I keep mine in Notion:
Client onboarding emails
Blog outlines
Sales follow-ups
Project scopes
Templates don’t make you lazy. They make you free.
12. Theme Your Days to Cut Decision Fatigue
Here’s something that helped me stop bouncing between 12 roles a day: I gave my days themes.
Like this:
Monday – Vision & planning
Tuesday – Client delivery
Wednesday – Content & marketing
Thursday – Sales & outreach
Friday – Finance + admin + catch-up
This way, I know what kind of energy each day needs—and I’m not switching between left-brain and right-brain work every hour.
Final Thought: Your Time Is the Business
It is not simply because you save a couple of minutes after all. It is all about guarding your focus, your vitality, your inventive ability, since those are the actual driving forces of your business.
You can’t scale chaos. But you can systematize success.
Pick two of these time-saving hacks for entrepreneurs and start this week. Not all 12. Just two. Let them work for you.
And remember: You didn’t quit a 9-to-5 just to build a 24/7.
FAQ: Time, Tools & Staying Sane
Which are the effective time saving tools to be used by entrepreneurs?Some of our old reliable standbys:
Calendly – Schedule meetings without the headache
Zapier – Automate repetitive tasks between apps
Loom – Record quick explainer videos
Notion – Centralize your docs and templates
Grammarly / TextExpander – Speed up writing
Don’t add tools just to feel productive use ones that actually simplify your work.
How can I manage my time better as a business owner?
It starts with getting clear on what only you should do. Then:
Block focused time for it.
Push distractions aside.
Delegate everything else (even if it’s messy at first).
The goal isn’t doing more—it’s doing less, better.
What are some productivity tips for small business founders?
Plan tomorrow today
Say “no” faster
Keep one central to-do list
Use keyboard shortcuts (you’ll thank yourself)
Don’t be afraid to unplug for an afternoon to reset
How do successful entrepreneurs save time daily?
They prioritize what matters before the day begins. They automate the repetitive, delegate early, and batch the rest. Most importantly, they guard their calendar like it’s sacred—because it is.
Can time-saving hacks help reduce burnout?
100%. Most burnout doesn’t come from hard work—it comes from wasted effort on things that don’t matter. These hacks help you focus your energy where it actually counts and give yourself space to breathe again.
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