As I sat on the plane returning from an overseas trip last week I was very aware of how many key deliverables I have due over the next 2 weeks.

Subconsciously I was contemplating each task using:

• Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix
• John Maxwell’s Law of Priorities
• Richard Koch’s 80/20 Rule
• Dan Kennedy’s No BS Time Management for Entrepreneurs

But ultimately, it came down to an interview I heard a couple of weeks ago with Paul Martinelli, President of the John Maxwell Team. He talked about being a “time assassin”. He is ruthless with how he manages his time as he realizes it’s his most valuable asset.

I consequently started thinking through what is called a time audit, categorizing each task by asking the following 3 questions:

• Is this building my business?
• Is this making me money?
• Is this giving me time freedom?

I’ve narrowed my list down to 6 priority deliverables to which I answered yes to all three questions.

Everything else needs to take a backseat and ultimately should be taken care of by someone else.

The time crunch and pressure to produce has given me clarity.

Correctly managing your time is intentional living and critical to the life of an entrepreneur.