But, if that is the path you take, you may well find that instead of feeling on top of your load, you will simply feel even more pressured. In fact, time management is not effective whereas time mastery, and taking a conscious approach to time, is the solution that we all need to adopt.

By time mastery I mean adopting the thinking that this is the time that I have on my hands and deciding how I am going to use it. If you bring in more intention and attention to the time you have available, then you will find that you don’t actually run out of that time because you have more clarity and presence in creating your day. So how do you become a master of your time?

There are some steps you can take to develop a more conscious approach to time, avoid the pitfalls of time management and move towards time mastery. Firstly, you need to decide what is truly important and why. You want to make good use of your time so which choices align with your core values and respect your potential and your desire to create a fulfilling life for yourself.

Time mastery is all about bringing in more intention to what you do so, in mastering your time, you should always return to your intention and that will guide how you prioritise tasks. Finally, you need to stay in the moment, bringing your all to the task and making sure your actions are guided by your beliefs and core values.  If you can train yourself to be mindful you can minimise distractions so that you stay on task.

With an understanding of what time mastery is, it’s possible to take a few tools and ensure that you have more intention and attention when organising your time. 

Just imagine the cognitive load that you have every day when you have to deal with the mountain of tasks you have to complete and decisions you have to make. This can be very overwhelming. By determining the decisions and actions that must happen today, you can remove some of the clutter in your head and reduce your mental load.  

Whatever you do, keep your task list manageable. Bear in mind what you need to prioritise rather than how much time you have left, and also categorise the tasks so that you know where you will need to collaborate and where you can act alone. You should also include time to think, strategise, plan and organise – all of which can be forgotten in the rush to accomplish your tasks.

In fact, you should also set aside some contingency time, space for the unexpected so that a curve ball won’t throw your schedule. The comfort of knowing you have that extra time available will help you deal better with the unpredictable and allow you to be truly in every moment. And if you don’t need that time, use it for some self-care – reflect, meditate or just simply breathe.

Time for self-care, or “me time” is not an indulgence but a necessity when dealing with the stress that comes from starting up a new business. Practise mindfulness and gain a moment of much needed calm to gain clarity, allowing you to align yourself and feel centred. You will find that this makes you feel more confident, joyful and certain.

According to Thomas Davenport of the Harvard Business School Press: “Understanding and managing attention is now the single most important determinant of business success.” By taking onboard the skill of time mastery, you will make sure that you use your time productively and in a way that is meaningful to you.