A business owner’s life is unpredictable and jam-packed with things to do.
There never seems to be enough time in the day, which is why efficiency is key to success. You may never reach productivity perfection, but with the right time-saving tips, you can maximize the time you have and make the most of nearly every moment.
1) Establish a Routine
The word “routine” may send a shudder down your spine. For many, it evokes feelings of rigidity and strictness. Luckily, a solid daily routine can actually make more room for fun, free time and creativity.
If you want to reign in your crazy day, split it up into three blocks. Think about your morning, workday and evening routines. When you first wake up, start by making your bed. This is a simple task that is easy to accomplish and easy to do well.
It may seem insignificant, but it’ll help you start off your morning feeling accomplished and productive. Then, do what makes the most sense for you. Eat a good breakfast, check your emails, read something inspirational or meditate.
At work, look at your to-do list and try to group similar tasks. Knock things out in blocks to improve your productivity and free up time for other important issues that may arise. After work, try and unplug.
As an entrepreneur, you likely feel that you need to remain available for 24 hours a day. Unfortunately, this can leave you feeling dissatisfied and stressed out. Take at least one hour every day to unplug.
2) Keep a Daily To-Do List
When you run your own business, no two days are the same. Before you start working every day, create an accurate and up-to-date list of what you need to accomplish.
Try to make the list achievable within eight hours.
As you cross off tasks, celebrate your small achievements. Maybe you reward yourself with a break or a snack when you’ve completed a quarter of the tasks on your list. Taking breaks actually boosts your productivity, so make sure to take some time off during each day.
3) Be ‘In the Moment’
One of the best ways to become a better entrepreneur is to meditate.
Seriously, meditation improves cognition, sleep, energy levels, feelings of well-being and much more. When you meditate, you learn to block out external and internal noise so you can direct your complete attention to where it’s needed most.
If meditating seems a bit to fringe or out of reach, use Headspace.
Companies like Google, Spotify, LinkedIn and Unilever use Headspace’s simple and approachable mindfulness platform to improve their outcomes.
4) Organize Your Workplace
Chaotic work environments can hinder efficiency. If your workplace is a mess, you’ll waste valuable time trying to find the things you need when you need them most.
If your workplace is organized, you’ll be more productive, experience less stress and save time. A tidy and clean office will also create a sense of professionalism for yourself, your team and your clients.
5) Avoid Long Meetings
Let’s face it, as an entrepreneur, you spend a lot of time in meetings. Although some meetings are necessary and productive, these types of meetings are generally the minority.
To make every meeting as successful as possible, multitask. You are going to get hungry at some point, so why not kill two birds with one stone and take your meeting out to lunch.
In your office, people will try to interrupt you, you may be distracted by phone calls and issues that seem to need immediate resolution will arise. The office is busy, which is why a restaurant can help you avoid distractions and increase your focus.
When you’re ready to leave, you can save time with Rooam.
This app lets you track and pay your restaurant bill or bar tab on your own time. This way, you won’t waste a moment arguing over who’s going to pick up the bill or waiting for your server to run your card.
Simply have a productive business lunch and leave whenever is most convenient for you.
6) Delegate
When you run your own company, you often want to have a hand in every aspect of your operations. No one is as invested in your brand as you, so it’s hard to rely on other people to handle some of your tasks.
It can be difficult to trust and rely on others, but with practice, you’ll find that letting other people tackle your tasks is actually a strength. Start by delegating your less important tasks and figure out who can accomplish them successfully.
Over time, you’ll delegate an increasing number of tasks with confidence, freeing up your time for more important and pressing matters.
Improved Focus Is Better for Business
As an entrepreneur, your day is packed with professional and personal tasks.
It’s all too easy to be overwhelmed and underproductive, but you don’t have to be. With the right know-how, you can improve your focus and get more done.