Ten of the Biggest Time Wasters in an Entrepreneur's Day

"Where did the day go?"

You are an entrepreneur who is always on the go, striving for success, and you find yourself asking this question far too often. Even though it feels as though you are always working, the small, minuscule tasks that flood your day can waste many valuable hours that could be put to better use.

Although replying to an email, checking social media, and browsing the web may seem like a harmless waste of five minutes, it's important to remember that time is money; it's the most invaluable commodity you have as a business owner. Here are ten of the biggest time-wasting activities to watch out for that can impede your progress every day.

• Messages

  You likely receive calls, texts, and emails all throughout the day. Unless it is an urgent matter, don't stop what you're doing to address them. Instead, set aside a couple of periods during the day to quickly manage your accumulated messages.

• Social Media

  While you can successfully employ social media in your entrepreneurial efforts, too much time on these sites during the day can lead you astray. Write your work posts early and save responses for the end of the day to keep yourself in check. Perhaps consider using a scheduling service, such as HootSuite, to schedule posts in advance and post on your behalf.

• Tangents

  Do you find yourself going off on tangents during your research efforts? Guard against digresses by making a note of new ideas that spark so you can come back to them when the time is appropriate.

• Meetings

  Keep meetings brief and leave directly afterward. It is too easy to stay chatting away valuable daylight, so let others know you have to stay on schedule and report back to the office ASAP.

• Multitasking

  Doing more than one task at a time is not possible. When you try to multitask, you're really just switching too often from one aspect of work to another. This results in wasted time and poor quality. Stay focused and complete each task before moving on to the next. You'll be surprised to see how much more productive you'll be!

• Outdated Tools

  When you attempt to work in a cluttered and disorganized space, you spend too many crucial minutes trying to find things. Your focus is lost quickly in such an atmosphere.

• Lack of Organization

  When you attempt to work in a cluttered and disoriented space, you spend too many crucial minutes trying to find things. Your focus is lost quickly in such an atmosphere.

• Not Consolidating Errands

  When you run here and there multiple times during the week you are not making the best use of your time. Group as many errands as you can on one particular day and arrange your route in the most efficient manner.

• Failing to Prioritize

  When you treat all work the same, you waste hours. Instead, make priorities and give them the time they deserve. Allot specific time periods for all tasks with lesser amounts going to routine administrative tasks.

• Hesitation

  Agonizing over decisions will rob you of needed time. Learn to make choices quickly while giving proper consideration to the pros and cons. Don't be afraid to "pull the plug" on failing projects.

You will discover many ways you waste time when you take a hard look at how you spend your days. However, once you realize your mistakes, you can remedy them and become more productive and better positioned to make great strides moving forward.