Are You Using Your Time Wisely in Your Business? 3 Simple Ways to Find Out and Move Forward

Many business owners forget to ask themselves this question. It’s simple, but it’s powerful:

“Are you using your time wisely in your business?”

Now before you say “yes” too quickly, let’s pause.

Most of us think we’re using our time well, after all, we’re working hard, right?

But being busy doesn’t always mean we’re being productive.

Let me explain.

Running a business can feel like juggling a hundred things at once.

Emails, social media, content, sales, learning new skills… it never ends.

But if you don’t stop to check how you’re spending your time, you could end up working for months without seeing real growth.

So, here’s three smart ways to check if you’re using your time wisely, and how to move forward with purpose.

1. Are You Doing Things That Actually Grow Your Business?

“Am I doing things that grow my business… or just staying busy?”

Imagine someone working 8 hours a day.

But most of that time is spent changing colors on their website,

checking email every 10 minutes, or watching more “how to” videos.

Sure, they’re working.

But are those things helping them get new customers or make money?

Probably not.

Now compare that to someone who writes a blog post that includes an affiliate link,

sends out an email with a helpful offer,

or creates a product their audience needs.

Those are growth activities.

A simple tip:

Each morning, before you start your workday, ask yourself:

“What is one thing I can do today that will grow my business?”

That might be:

  • Writing a sales email
  • Recording a helpful video
  • Posting something valuable with a clear call-to-action
  • Talking to a potential customer
  • Finishing a product to sell

If you do at least one business-growing activity each day, you’ll start to see more progress and faster.

Take Action:

Make a list of your weekly tasks. Put a star next to the ones that actually bring in sales, leads, or traffic.

Then, try to do more of those and less of the “busy work” that eats up your time.

2. Are You Letting Distractions Steal Your Time?

“Am I letting distractions steal my time?”

Let’s be honest. Distractions are everywhere.

Social media notifications. Emails. New business ideas. Phone calls.

And sometimes… our own brain says, “I’ll just scroll for five minutes”, and it turns into an hour.

“Every ‘yes’ you say to a distraction is a ‘no’ to your goals.”

That sounds harsh, but it’s true.

Now, I’m not saying you have to be perfect. Life happens.

But you can build habits that protect your time.

Here’s a strategy that works:

  • Choose your top 1 or 2 goals for the month. Maybe it’s “grow my email list” or “make 10 sales.”
  • When something new comes up, ask: “Does this help me reach my goal?” If yes, go for it. If no, write it down on a “Later List.”

You don’t need to do everything all at once. You need to do the right things at the right time.

Take Action:

Use a timer. Try the “25/5” method: work for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break.

During those 25 minutes, no distractions. Turn off notifications.

Set your phone in another room. Focus on one task.

If you do four focused sessions a day, that’s 2 hours of powerful work.

That’s more than most people get done in a full day of multitasking.

3. Are You Paying Attention to What’s Actually Working?

“Am I paying attention to what’s actually working?”

So many business owners do the same tasks every week, but never check if those things are helping.

They post on Instagram every day but don’t look at the numbers.

They write blog after blog, but don’t see if people are reading them.

They send emails but never check if anyone’s clicking.

That’s like running on a treadmill, lots of effort, but no forward movement.

Here’s what to do instead:

Every week, take 10–15 minutes to review:

  • What did I work on this week?
  • What results did I get? (visits, clicks, sales, replies, etc.)
  • What worked well?
  • What didn’t work at all?

Once you know what’s working, you can do more of it.

And once you see what’s not helping, you can stop wasting time on it.

This one habit, 10 minutes a week, can completely change your results.

Take Action:

Start a “What Worked” Journal.

Each week, write 3 things:

  1. What you did
  2. What result you got
  3. What you’ll do next

Keep it simple. The more you do this, the better you’ll get at choosing high-impact tasks.

Final Thoughts: How to Move Forward With Purpose

So let’s wrap this up. We’ve talked about 3 smart questions you can ask to make sure you’re using your time wisely:

  1. Are you doing things that actually grow your business?
  2. Are you letting distractions steal your time?
  3. Are you paying attention to what’s actually working?

If you want your business to grow, you can’t just work hard, you have to work smart.

And that starts with being honest about how you’re spending your time.

Here’s what to remember:

  • Focus on progress, not perfection
  • One smart action a day is better than ten random ones
  • Track your time like it’s money, because in business, it is

One More Challenge for You:

Before you end your day today, grab a piece of paper and write down:

  • One thing you’ll stop doing (that wastes time)
  • One thing you’ll start doing (that grows your business)
  • One thing you’ll track this week (to see what’s working)

These small steps may seem simple, but they build the foundation of a strong business.

You’ve got the power. You’ve got the tools.

Now go make the most of your time, and watch your business grow.