As business owners, we are frequently confronted with the issues of time management – or as I see it, management of ourself to make the most of our time.In order to succeed you need to practice skills to become expert at organizing your life.
This week I thought I’d remind you of a few ideas to help you ensure that time is well-spent – and save you many hours in the future, whilst also making you more effective and efficient.
- Make an exhaustive list of all your responsibilites as a business owner. Now, prioritize them. Tasks that help produce more income should be at the top of your list. A prioritized list will help you focus and get things done.
- Make a list of all the tasks that need to be done each week. Also find out and note the amount of time needed to complete each one of these tasks.
- Always keep about five to ten minutes at the end of each day to plan for the next. Put these down on a To-Do list so you can get all the tasks on it completed the next day. Leave this list on your desk, or wherever you start your day, so it’s the first thing you look at as you start work the next day. Set aside time for each area (for instance, finances, before you go on to the next for example, marketing.
- Keep your office organized – project-wise. Organize your office by category. For example, put all the files and information pertaining to finances in one place and marketing in another. In this manner, you can focus on one area/project at a time and also save time.
- Create a system for processing paperwork. I like the four D’s – Dump, Delegate, Diarise or Do it. In other words – handle it only once where possible, and in this order decide what you need to do.
- Make sure you have a proper filing system. This is a real time saver as it ensures you get what you are looking for – and get the information when you need it.
- Fully-exploit the critical programs on your computer. Take classes if you have to. You can organize your sales activities on Outlook – learn how to use it to fully organize your activities, etc. Learn how to use spreadsheets efficiently – Invest in classes or buy how-to books for each program in your system that you need to use.
- Reserve some time for “creative” brainstorming sessions. Do some strategic thinking and see how far you can take your business. Read business books or listen to motivational tapes whilst driving – this can lead to some effective strategies.
Taking the time to organize your office as well as your time is critical. The time used for this activity will save you hundreds of hours in the future, help you focus and keep you on track. This is a process that you have to continally work on and will lead to great results in your business.
Building Systems Into your business
