326 Habit 3: First Things First – time management for ecommerce entrepreneurs (part 2) - a podcast by Michael Veazey

Time Management for e-commerce is an absolutely critical skill area. Time management can be the single biggest block to even starting an e-commerce business. And for an established, busy e-commerce business owner,  managing time is just as critical.



In this episode, we focus on the learnings from the wonderful book (and also audiobook) -



"7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Steven Covey





Links to related podcast episodes/show notes around self-management for e-commerce entrepreneurs:

For the other episodes related to time management for e-commerce and based on this book and philosophy:

Habit 3 Part 1 ( episode 324)

Inside Out (episode 283)

Habit 1: Be Proactive (episode 284)

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind (episode 298)



What it takes to say “No”

The only place to get time for Quadrant II in the beginning is from Quadrants III and IV.

You can’t ignore the urgent and important activities of Quadrant I, although it will shrink in size as you spend more time with prevention and preparation in Quadrant II.

You have to be proactive to work on Quadrant II because Quadrants I and III work on you.

To say “yes” to important Quadrant II priorities, you have to learn to say “no” to other activities, sometimes apparently urgent things.

Keep in mind that you are always saying “no” to something. If it isn’t to the apparent, urgent things in your life, it is probably to the more fundamental, highly important things.



Moving into Quadrant II in Time Management for e-commerce

If Quadrant II activities are clearly the heart of effective personal management—the “first things” we need to put first—then how do we organize and execute around those things?

[A: You need to use the right generation of time management tools]



The Quadrant II Tool

6 criteria:





Coherence

Balance

Quadrant II focus

A People Dimension

Flexibility

Portability



Becoming a Quadrant II Self-Manager of time

4 key activities:

Identify Roles

Examples

1. Individual

2. Spouse/Parent

3. Manager New Products

4. Manager Research

5. Manager Staff Dev.

6. Manager Administration





CEO manager



Select Goals before managing time

“At least some of these goals should reflect Quadrant II activities. “

“Ideally, these weekly goals would be tied to the longer-term goals...”



Focus on Weekly Time management and scheduling 

Translate each goal to a specific day of the week, either as a priority item or, even better, as a specific appointment.



Adapt time management Daily

“With Quadrant II weekly organizing, daily planning becomes more a function of daily adapting, of prioritizing activities and responding to unanticipated events, relationships, and experiences. “



Living Habit 3

“Returning once more to the computer metaphor, if Habit 1 says ‘You’re the programmer’ and Habit 2 says ‘Write the program,’ then Habit 3 says... ‘Run/Live the program.’“

“And living it is primarily a function of our independent will... and commitment—not to short-term goals and schedules or to the impulse of the moment,

Further episodes of Amazing FBA Amazon and ECommerce Podcast, for Amazon Private Label Sellers, Shopify, Magento or Woocommerce business owners, and other e-commerce sellers and digital entrepreneurs.

Further podcasts by Michael Veazey

Website of Michael Veazey