Find your portal
false

7 Time management tips for busy online course creators

Most knowledge entrepreneurs have busy schedules and long to-do lists. They are required to work a lot to reach the desired results. However, this is not necessarily the recipe for productivity. Are you working long hours but don't seem to be efficient enough? Do you long for a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day?

As online knowledge entrepreneurs, there's a set of skills that will take you and your e-learning business to a new level, which will create the background for productivity and will ease the pressure of getting things done.

I'm referring, of course, to time management skills.

Once mastered, you will be able to eliminate distractions, create consistency between the hours worked and productivity levels, and have daily results based on the predictability that comes into play when implementing new work ethics.

7 Time management tips for online course creators

Your ability to organize your time is directly linked to how much you can accomplish by the end of the day. Working long hours doesn't mean that you are also productive. As online course creators, you need to make the best of your time without overworking or neglecting your health. While your determination to reach your goals is commendable, you have to adopt a different time management approach.

Here are seven time management tips to consider:

  1. Discover your work routine

    Before making any plans, you need to discover your work routine to find gaps in productivity. By analyzing your workday, you can recognize your most productive hours and eliminate time waste.

    This way, you can have a better-organized work experience without downtime. Of course, it's up to you if you fill it with tasks every minute of your day. You can even make a priority out of scheduling regular healthy breaks during your working hours.

  2. Plan ahead

    For successful time management, you need to envision every step of your project and create a mind map of your course outline. You need to have a realistic timeline and set deadlines for your project and for each task. Make sure you allocate enough time to avoid breaking your deadlines and feeling disappointed.

    Creating an online course is time-consuming and requires a lot of work. However, you can make it more manageable if you divide it into smaller tasks. Take one task at a time and commit yourself to a plan of action to boost your productivity.

    Although you have a busy schedule, you shouldn't overlook the power of creativity. While you work, great ideas might just pop into your mind. To make sure no good idea is wasted, you should have a mechanism for capturing ideas, like a notebook or an app, to take notes for later use. This way, you keep the creative flow going.

  3. Organize your time

    After having the outline of your course in mind and the tasks that have to be accomplished, you can now start to organize each moment of your day.

    When you schedule your tasks, consider how and when you work more efficiently. Tackle the most complex tasks when you feel you can focus better, and leave the lighter ones for the end of the day.

    Be objective and don't over-schedule your day. This does not make you more efficient; on the contrary, it can make you feel overwhelmed and exhausted, which has the opposite effect.

    To make it easier to finish tasks, you should adopt the batching technique, which implies dividing your tasks into categories based on similarities and solving each category at a time. This way, it's easier to schedule your tasks, and it's less chaotic. What's more, switching from one task to another from a different category can hurt
    your productivity.

  4. Consider outsourcing

    One thing that is beneficial for your course is to invest in help. You can do everything by yourself, but you should also consider outsourcing. You don't have to hire someone permanently. There are a lot of freelancers you can hire for specific tasks.

    It's still your business, but others may do things better and faster. This way, you can focus on something else or use that time to grow your business.


    Read more: Which parts of your online course can you outsource?


  5. Find your balance

    Your course will be successful only if you make time for it first. You can juggle a job and a family, but make do with how much available time you have. It doesn't matter if it's 15 minutes, or four hours, or the entire day. What's important is to be consistent and dedicated to your project.

    Firstly, turn off your notifications. You don't need the distraction. Choose the best actionable steps for you and your course. Have your top goals in mind and eliminate everything that doesn't serve your end goal.

    Secondly, stay motivated. You can maintain or boost your motivation by always considering the reason behind your course. Why did you start creating your course? Remind yourself constantly why your course exists and what your goals are.

    Also, reward yourself for meeting your deadlines, but also hold yourself accountable for breaking them.

    To be productive, you need to be in good health, so follow healthy habits like sleeping, eating, and exercising. Do schedule short breaks regularly to re-energize yourself.

  6. Repurpose your content

    If you want to be efficient, you should consider repurposing your content. You can create an ebook based on a course, reuse the feedback you give your students for a "tips and tricks" booklet, or record your sessions and use the material for upcoming courses.


    Read more: What you need to know about repurposing content


  7. Learn from others

    Nobody holds the key to perfect time management because we are so different, and what works for some may not work for others.

    Anyway, you can learn more about time management and the skills you should master. Learn from books, mentors, or webinars and find out what works for you.

To conclude

As an online course creator, time management skills are essential. Follow the tips presented in this article, and you will have a clear course outline, realistic deadlines, and a healthy work ethic.

Remember to organize your tasks in batches and keep track of every new idea which can later be used for your course or future projects.

Don't be afraid to delegate some of your work and never stop learning. Eventually, you'll figure out the most productive routine.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
f-image t-image pin-image lin-image