STAPLES BizTIPs 4business: Take time to save time

By Small Business Expert Roger Pierce, Bizlaunch

So many priorities. So little time. Such is the way for small business owners. However, if you take just a little time to plan well, you will find that you get more done with less– and hopefully there will be some time left over for you.

Follow these suggestions to improve your time management:

1. Understand your time management issues.
   
   
   
   • Do you change your mind a lot or over think decisions?
   
   
   • Do busy details distract you from productive tasks?
   
   
   • Do you forget to delegate?
   
   
   
   


2. Begin with to-do lists.
   
   
   
   • Create daily, weekly, monthly and annual to-do lists.
   
   
   • Sort your tasks into three categories: Must be done, should be done and optional.
   
   
   • Focus on what will grow your business first, which includes sales, customer service and finance.
   
   
   
   


3. Put efficient systems in place.
   
   
   
   • Develop an Operations Manual so that everyone knows the right way to complete the tasks and systems driving your business.
   
   
   • Hire good people to run your systems and train them well.
   
   
   
   


4. Monitor what others have promised to do for you.
   
   
   
   • Use your daily planner to note who has promised you what, and when you should expect it.
   
   
   
   


5. Share responsibility.
   
   
   
   • Delegate tasks to well trained, responsible individuals.
   
   
   • You can hire full-time employees, part-timers or vendors.
   
   
   • Consider hiring a Virtual Assistant, who is someone you pay by the hour to do things such as data entry, invoicing, or telephone calls.
   
   
   
   

Value your time. Your time must be spent on marketing, selling and managing. It’s therefore more cost effective to hire someone at $20 an hour to do something while you’re out earning $100 for your business.

 

 ROGER PIERCE is passionate about helping entrepreneurs achieve success. Co-founder of Canada’s largest small business training company, BizLaunch.ca, he’s launched eleven small businesses of his own and personally experienced what he calls “the good, the bad and the ugly” sides of entrepreneurship.

BizLaunch advises thousands of Canadian startups through its popular how-to seminars and webinars delivered with partners such as STAPLES.