“Time is your most precious commodity.” This may very well be the most overused cliché there is. However, overused clichés typically have one thing in common. They are very much true. And making the most effective use of your time is paramount to success in anything in life.

Below is a list of time wasters that may be keeping your personal training business from thriving. Review the list and see how you personally measure up.

  1. One-on-one training: Your professional colleagues are substantially out earning you because they are either running camps or training people in semi-private groups. And just as importantly, more people are getting fit. It’s less expensive for them, and the social support component is a critical factor in their results.
  1. Book keeping and accounting: Yes, both are critical to your business. But you shouldn’t be spending your time counting pennies. Yes, you need to be financially literate. But you should be focusing on growing your business, not spending weeks trying to figure out QuickBooks or other accounting software. Hiring professionals who handle these tasks is critical.
  1. Trying to be perfect: If everything you do needs to be perfect, you’re in for a lot of trouble as an entrepreneur. Trying to create the perfect website, product, article, newsletter, or whatever is an amazing form of self-sabotage. Nothing will cripple your success like perfectionism.
  1. Online forums: This is an article unto itself. But whether the forum you visit often is a positive or negative influence, far too many trainers spend their time online talking about nonsense. I’ve been guilty of this myself.
  1. Decision making: If you want to be in business for yourself, you’d better be able to make decisions quickly. Hemming and hawing doesn’t get the job done. Additionally, asking your friends and family who have no clue about what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur could be about the dumbest thing you could do. But don’t worry—when I first started, I was guilty of this too. Create a board of advisors for your business of SUCCESSFUL entrepreneurs and seek council with them and them alone.
  1. Being afraid to delegate and create systems: Being a great entrepreneur and being a great trainer are two different things. If you haven’t already, read the E-Myth by Michael Gerber and learn the difference between a business owner and a technician. It is required reading for all entrepreneurs. And it will show you exactly what you need to be doing to free yourself from the day-to-day routine that’s holding you back.
  1. Checking email constantly: Email is a terrific way to waste time. It’s perhaps the best, in fact. There is no better way to keep putting out fires and putting off important tasks than by constantly checking your email. Set a time each day to check your email. And it would be ideal to have a virtual assistant or intern answer routine questions so that you can spend your time more wisely.

Jim Labadie specializes in the business of personal training. To instantly download your FREE copy of his 10-page special report “21 Fitness Business Resources Your Competition Doesn’t Want You to Know About,” visit www.FitnessBusinessResource.com.