You don’t need a business degree to start a business. Even if you don’t have past experience with management in your own or other’s companies, you can start that dream you have. However, launching a business and committing to its success DOES require motivation and dedication. With a fast-paced everyday life that can feel stressful and overwhelming at times, many think they simply do not have the time to start a business. With some simple changes, you can learn how to better manage your time to ensure you have the ability to focus on that venture you have in mind.

Minimize Time Spent on Social Media

With the advent of social media and mobile smartphone technology, it is no wonder that millions of individuals no longer claim to have free time as they did in the past. Statista reports that the average social media user spent more than two hours on social media every single day.

Scrolling your social media feeds may be tempting and provide a quick and temporary rush of endorphins, but it also wastes free time that can be put to use in alternative ways. Minimize the time you spend each day on social media and instead focus on developing your business plan and moving forward with the actions necessary to launch the company you envision.

Stop Wasting Your Free Time Each Evening

While it is true that you are likely pressed for time and stressed about everyday responsibilities and deadlines, it is important to remain self-aware of the downtime you do have available each day. Even if you have one to three hours of free time each night, stop watching television shows or silly videos.

Everyone needs time to relax and unwind, but there are effective and ineffective ways to do that. By creating more efficient relaxation time, you will have more time available to work on building your business, networking, and generating revenue. Time management is a skill that will benefit you in everything you do, not just your business enterprises. Working as an entrepreneur is never an easy venture, but it is extremely rewarding once you get a taste of reaching your goals and achieving your dreams.

It will always be tempting to sit down and binge watch the latest episodes of Game of Thrones or a new Netflix show. Successful entrepreneurs know the dangers of time wasting and steer clear, especially when they are first working to get a business up and running.

Remember That Your Business is Not a Hobby

When starting a business it is tempting to do so as a hobby. However, when you treat your new venture as a hobby, you are much less likely to truly commit to pursuing the idea and ensuring your vision comes to life. Successful entrepreneurs take their time commitments very seriously and want to ensure that all of the time they spend is well-spent and worth it. If you are not getting anything in return for your efforts or if you are not moving forward with your business plans, it may be time to rethink your current venture.

Set time aside each day to work towards your business goals. Skip out on television, social media, and at times, going out for fun. While it is not always easy, the reward of becoming a successful entrepreneur is worth short-term sacrifices.

Test Your Product or Service

Before going live with your business it is essential to test the product or service you plan to promote. The testing stage is extremely important and requires you to dedicate additional time to testing the product yourself or seeking out other individuals who are willing to assist you through the process. Product and service testing is a way to gauge the overall satisfaction of others when using your products while learning which tweaks you may need to implement before going live and launching your business officially.

Businesses are rarely successful overnight and require dedication and consistency to expand and grow. Learning how to properly manage your time while delegating tasks and important everyday chores is essential once you have made a commitment to truly building a business from the ground-up. Making the right changes to your life and defining what is most important to you and your business is a way to ensure you are on the right track.

Craig Middleton has worked in small businesses and entrepreneurship for most of his professional career. He is passionate about real estate, travel, and cheering on the Giants. When he isn’t writing or working at his many businesses, he’s spending time with his wife and three children.