Time is a precious resource for small business owners. Most business owners find it challenging to find a good work/life balance; so using time efficiently is essential. The good news is that you can learn better time-management skills, which will lead to improved business productivity and more free time to spend with family and friends.
Here are our Top 5 Tips to Improve Work Efficiency:
Get Organized!
Before you begin your workday, make a plan. Some people choose to do this the night before, while others find it easier to make this the first task of their day. Regardless, spend 5–10 minutes going through your calendar, looking at your notes, and scanning your email. Identify the most critical tasks and write them down. Keeping a list of to-do items will help you to stay focused and limit the effects of distractions like email, phone calls, etc. And speaking of distractions …
Keep a Distraction List
Distractions are inevitable. You’re deep into a project, and you think, “I’ve got to remember to buy bread!” Instead of letting that thought pop up repeatedly, flip to your distraction list and jot down ‘buy bread.’ When work is finished, you can flip to your distraction list and knock it out.
Empower Your Employees
You hired them for a reason! Your employees can be an incredible time-saving resource. Identify the strengths of an employee and give them work that both fits their abilities and takes things off of your list.
Don’t Multitask
Research shows that people aren’t very good at concentrating on multiple tasks at once. Let us clarify: Vacuuming the living room while listening to a podcast is not multitasking because these two tasks use different mental resources. But trying to write an email while listening to a podcast does use the same resources.
Multitasking should be called multi-focusing because, when you multitask, you are rapidly switching focus between two or more things, which is inefficient and tiring to the brain.
Easy ways to prevent yourself from slipping into multitasking include:
- Muting text, social media, and calendar notifications
- Installing an app on your computer that blocks all notifications
- Only checking your email and voicemail twice a day during designated times
Invest in Time-saving Tools
High-speed internet connections, smartphones, and laptops can save you time. Finding apps that complement your business can also be a huge timesaver. And, of course, you should always take advantage of Pinnacle Bank’s services such as business checking which includes free online banking and bill pay. (LINK)
Smart time management means efficiency at work and fewer hours on the job, freeing up precious hours to spend with loved ones, on a hobby, or even taking a nap!
