If you want more hours in your day, more days in your week, you’re not alone. This is the biggest complaint we hear from entrepreneurs. There is a solution. Of course, we can and should maximize our time, become more efficient, automate and delegate, but this alone won’t resolve the time deficiency crisis.

As small business owners, we must balance the many aspects of running a business -- marketing, sales, keeping up with customer demands, industry trends and the latest technologies, etc. -- with family and friends. The fact that we don’t have to answer to anyone else for how we use our time adds to the challenge.

On top of that, we’re constantly barraged with a seemingly endless array of opportunities and new ideas -- many of them worthwhile, even valuable. There are more wonderful things to do, to see, to buy -- more ways to spend our time, energy and money than resources allow.

You simply can’t do it all. If you’re to accomplish your dream and look back in the future without regret, you must identify what’s truly important to you, clarify your vision, keep a laser-like focus on your goal, avoid tempting distractions along the way and keep on course.

• Define what you want your business and your life to look like three years from now. Think big, but be realistic or you’ll add more stress.
• Working backwards from there, ask yourself what you’ll need to achieve in the next two years to get there, then what will you need to have in place 12 months from now? Six months from now? Three months from now?
• View requests for your time, energy and money through this filter. Say “no” to distractions, busywork and opportunities that won’t move you towards your goal.
• Take time out daily, even if it’s five minutes, just to think -- focus on your goal, how it will look and feel when you’ve achieved it. Are there better ways to reach it? Hang a picture of it on the wall where you spend the most time.
• Prioritize your tasks in light of this. Define daily the one most important task that will move you forward towards your goal.

There really are enough hours in the day -- but only if you define what’s important to you. You’ll need to spell out your vision, keep a laser focus and be choosy about how you spend your time. Only then will you begin to get time on your side.