The greatest commodity an entrepreneur can have, besides money, is time. But because an entrepreneur is, well, an entrepreneur, naturally the personal life is first to go. Usually exercise is cut out first, followed by pretty much everything else including friends, family and any outside interests. Despite the drastic cuts, there still doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get work done. Yet some entrepreneurs seem to have it all thrown together perfectly. Coaching kids’ sports teams, busy social lives, fewer bulging veins and grey hairs…
There is no magic formula to running your own company whilst maintaining an enviable lifestyle. But the most polished entrepreneurs tend to have a few tricks up their sleeves. I’ve managed to put together a list of some brilliant ways to cut down on the mundane and tedious part of life to make room for the stuff that really matters. Check out the ways that entrepreneur’s in the know make each day a bit more well rounded, while maintaining a high level of productivity at work.
- Pronto (https://www.pronto.co.uk)
I love good food. Fish and chips before bed don’t sit with me as well as they used to. Sometimes there just isn’t time to prepare a good meal, and I don’t have enough Rennie on hand to handle a takeaway. Bring on Pronto, the delivery service that brings an amazing meal to your front door, or your desk, in under 25 minutes. 3 taps, 25 minutes, eat. Try the chill ginger salmon followed by chocolate coated strawberries, totalling £12. No antacid required.
- Luggage Free (https://www.luggagefree.com)
I love to travel but I hate luggage (and I have 4 Children so I have a lot). No matter how light a suitcase I invest in, it always seems to weigh a ton. We always travel at maximum allowance, and then my wife and children go shopping for the heaviest souvenirs on the market. Luggage Free has saved the day for us already, and has cut down on my chiropractor bills considerably. Instead of stuffing enormous suitcases into taxis, call upon Luggage Free to sort out all the carrying, checking and claiming. Bags insured and tracked, travel turns back into the breeze it once was without my brood of children. They also ship golf clubs, bikes and skis.
- Craved (http://cravedlondon.com)
Sometimes I want to send along a gift that has a very cool and personal touch, without actually spending the time or energy. Introducing Craved: Curators of Craft Food. Craved sells over 120 products from 40 UK small batch producers. Check out the gift options, with catchy names like Hackney Hankered and the Snow Survival Kit. Sure to put a smile on anyone’s face, with minimal labour from the gift giver. Perfect.
- Hassle (https://hassle.com/uk)
Your time is valuable and better spent building up your business rather than sparkling up your loo. However, there’s no need for your home to resemble a hog pen. Introducing Hassle, the easiest and cheapest way possible to remove all signs of slovenly living from your abode. Or if you’re having a get together at your house, why not let Hassle take care of the drudgery of post party clean up. Pre-vetted, experienced local cleaners, who you find and pay with the click of a button at £10/hr. Can’t beat that.
- Paper.li (http://paper.li)
In days gone by, I’d have a peek at what my competitors were up to through a search on Google. These days, ipaper is the only way to stay on top of your industry. Get only the news you need delivered weekly to your inbox courtesy of Track, which monitors 144m news sites and blogs on your behalf, compiling major moves of your competitors and markets. ipaper also provides content for you to share with your audience, helping you look like the market pundit you would be if you didn’t need to sleep sometimes. Try the free trial and be amazed at how knowledgeable you can appear.
- Outsourcery (https://outsourcery.uk)
Shameless Plug! No longer just for business, virtual assistants are the new trend for helping streamline the tasks clogging up your personal life. Family parties, travel, car insurance, kids’ schooling, romantic getaways- you name it. Sometimes we don’t realize how much free time is consumed by matters of a personal nature, and then our weekends or evenings are gone. Your personal time is precious. Make the most of it by spending time with the people you love, or doing the things you enjoy, and delegate the rest of it to your Outsourcery PA.
Have more brilliant suggestions on how to make the most of your invaluable time? Please share them with me at richard@staging.outsourcery.uk.
By
Richard Walton
Founder of Avirtual
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