The wedding industry is one of the most exciting and fulfilling fields for multi-passionate entrepreneurs with a diverse range of interests. Every wedding is different, meaning that each work day is wildly different, as we deal with a colorful cast of characters, customers, and tasks—and sometimes, even a healthy dash of drama!

Running a wedding business allows you to delve into many different facets of the industry. This makes it a perfect match for entrepreneurs that don’t like to be pigeonholed. However, this is also the wedding industry’s biggest downside, as juggling different tasks and trying to effectively prioritize your time can be a challenge.

Today, I’ll be focusing on five of my favorite time management tips to help you manage your workload and balance your passions.

1. Set Clear Priorities

When you have multiple clients and employees coming to you (seemingly at all hours of the day) with numerous items to add to your to-do list, it can be hard to know which task to place at the top of your list.

The best way to do this is to clearly set your priorities. Where your priorities fall can be based on a number of factors, such as the task’s importance, deadline, labor intensiveness, or whether the task can be completed immediately.

I like to create multiple to-do lists, both with my daily tasks and long-term tasks, with each item organized by importance and urgency. 

2. Use Time Blocking

If you’re a multi-passionate entrepreneur, time blocking is one of the best time management tricks. Time blocking allows you to compartmentalize your day in order to maximize efficiency. That being said, it does take a bit of time to master. Especially, if you are someone who gets easily distracted by something you’re interested in.

In practice, time blocking is dividing your day into separate “blocks” of time, dedicating each one to a specific task on your to-do list. Not every time block needs to be the same length, as some tasks may take longer than others. Some tasks may need multiple time blocks over the course of days, weeks, or months. However, blocking out your time beforehand helps you stay on task, giving you a clear outline of how to use your time. 

Time blocking is especially effective because it allows you to follow the plan, not just the mood.

3. Learn to Say No

As a wedding business owner, you want each of your customers to have a day that’s as special as they are. This can result in you overexerting yourself and your business. For this reason, one of the best time management tricks is simply saying ‘no’.

It’s not easy to do, but mastering the art of saying ‘no’ is an essential skill you need. In turn, this skill will ensure that your wedding business is successful. Whether it’s rebuffing an egregious floral request or turning down a nice couple because your schedule is just too full; saying ‘no’ at the right time is imperative to keeping your schedule on track.

4. Delegate Tasks

As a multi-passionate entrepreneur, I truly love trying to do everything myself! Unfortunately, this just isn’t realistic and it led to a number of scheduling snafus in the beginning of my career. 

If your wedding business employs staff—even just a few employees—they are important pieces in your time management puzzle. Delegating tasks to your employees helps you focus on the things that you need to do. When your staff is well-trained, the phrase “if you want something done right, do it yourself” turns out to be totally false.

5. Take Breaks

Not only does taking regular breaks help reduce your stress levels, it helps make you more productive. When you’re overworked, overtired, and in need of some rest and relaxation, it’s easy to get sloppy with time management. We miss deadlines and make mistakes, ultimately hurting our businesses!

Though it may seem counterintuitive, taking breaks is an essential time management method. For bonus points, use time blocking to give yourself set break times every day.

As a multi-passionate wedding business owner, time management is a crucial skill you need while working towards achieving your goals and balancing your passions. By implementing the time management tips in this blog post and considering the benefits of working with a VA or OBM, you can take your business to the next level. Don’t let too-full to-do lists and burnout stand in the way of your success. Take action and start prioritizing your time today! If you’re thinking of hiring an OBM or VA, connect with us here to discuss your goals!