Productivity, everyone wants to be more productive. As a business owner, you are torn in so many directions. Sometimes it seems impossible to be able to get everything done that you need to get done. One minute you are answering emails, the next you are resolving a customer problem. It seems that you never can get everything accomplished that you need to. As a result, you look for ways to become more productive not only at work but also at home.
Before we get into today’s episode, I have a favor to ask. If you enjoy the content, please share this video on social media and subscribe to the channel. Presently 82% of my viewers are not subscribers. Next up is to start each day with a plan.
Start the Day with a Productivity Plan
It is best to spend either the last thing at night or the first thing in the morning to make a plan for the day. This plan needs to be prioritized. What are the two major things that must be done today? Those are the ones you need to concentrate on.
Ensure that You Are WORKING
Now let me explain what I mean here. I am talking about when you spend the bulk of your time doing things that are not productive. For example, you walk into your office and then spend time looking social media or talking to employees about non-work matters. It is so easy to get in the rut of watching one or two YouTube videos each morning when you really should be working and getting things done.
Remove Distracting Things
If you find that you spend a lot of time on your phone looking at social media. Then delete all your social media off your phone. If there are certain websites that you spend a ton of time on consider blocking those websites.
You may want to consider tracking what you do in a day. Mark down every task that you do for a week or even a month. This gives you an opportunity to look at your productivity level over time. Then you can slowly make changes to keep yourself moving forward in your productivity journey.
Don’t be Afraid To Make Changes
Sometimes our best ideas just do not work as we thought they would. Don’t be afraid to look at your business and find things that are not working. Then change them. One word of caution. Only change one thing at a time. Evaluate that change after a fair evaluation period. Then if needed make another change.
Stop Trying To Multitasking
If you had told me a few years ago that multitasking would make me less effective, I would have laughed. I thought I was the queen of multitasking. But as the years have past, I realized that my mind takes time to adjust each time I change tasks. As a result, I am not as effective as I think I am. Therefore, learn from me. Do not try multitasking. Finish the first biggest task before moving to the next task.
Learn To Say No
That’s right. You can not be all things to all people. Many small business owners think that they have to do whatever their clients want. But if it is outside your area of expertise then don’t be afraid of saying no. Don’t be afraid of challenging a client. In my line of work, I find that clients expectations are unrealistic. They think that you can turn projects around overnight. That is not always the case. Learn from my mistakes. Don’t let the client bully you around. Stick to your guns.
Perfection Is Not an Excuse – Stop Procastinating
Stop using perfection as an excuse for procrastination. That’s right. If you wait until something is perfect, then it will never happen. You want the things you are doing to be achievable. If it is not achievable, then reevaluate the goal and see if you are procrastinating.
Use the Right Technology
Make sure to have the right technology on hand in your business. Whether that is iPads for your sales teach to streamline sales or projectors for those staff meetings. The right technology can benefit the business. In fact, technology can speed up your business.
Automate Everything – Productivity Hack
You wear many hats as a small business owner. The more you can automate the faster and more productive you can be. You can save a few hours by automating tasks. Those few hours a week add up over a year.
Don’t be Afraid to Hire Freelancers
There are a ton of quality freelancers out there. Do not be afraid to engage with one when needed. These freelancers can take a ton of tasks off you plate. Imagine then what you can do with your time.
Save Time by Answering Calls Immediately
Yes, there are times when it is best to let a call go to voicemail. However, you can save a ton of time if you answer the call. That way you do not have to return the call later. Answering your calls right away lets your clients know that you want to give them the attention that they deserve. Remember to keep things short, simple and to the point.
Make a FAQ Page – Productivity Hack
If you have questions that are continually asked. Consider setting up a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. This simple task could eliminate the bulk of the questions you get asked each day. This act alone could save you a few hours a day.
Use E-Mail as an Advantage
Encourage clients to reach out to you through email. This way you can fit your response to them when you have a free moment. I have been doing this for years. It can save you a ton of time.
Use Chat Rooms – Increase Employee Productivity
Chat rooms can eliminate a ton of email. Setting up a chat room lets employees reach out to each other directly. They can communicate instantly and get the information that they need to get their work done. After all your employees will want to be productive too.
Downtime Tasks
Start by making a list of smaller tasks that you can accomplish during your downtime. Place them on a reminder page that way you can check them off when they are completed. It is a great feeling to get these little things done.
Productivity Summary
We all want to be as productive as possible. Sometimes, we just need a little help to get started or get over the rut that we are in. I hope these steps discussed today will motivate you to become more productive.
For more articles click here.