As small business owners, we need to use our time wisely because, as I am sure you are well aware of, it is too valuable not to. I read an article recently entitled, “50 Time Saving Tips For Small Businesses” and since time is money, I thought I’d share it with you. While I thought the entire list was brilliant, here are a few of my favorite time saving tips.
– Set Goals– having a daily to-do list is essential in making the most of your time. Writing out tasks each morning that need to get done today will really help you focus and be productive.
– Create A Plan– I am a planner at heart, I love an organized plan of attack, especially when it comes to my work day. Having a plan helps me to successfully tackle my daily to-do list and get it done in a timely manner.
– Prioritize List By Importance and Urgency– When I make my daily to-do list, I often write it in order of importance. That way, I remember what needs to get done first, second, etc. If I can’t get to everything on my list by the end of the day, at least I know what I needed to get done first was completed.
– Stick To One Task At A Time– This is probably the hardest thing for me to do because I get distracted so easily, especially if I have multiple things I need to get done. When I stick to one task at a time, I end up accomplishing more in a shorter amount of time.
– Create Good Habits– This is so important, especially when it comes to things that may seem like small, tedious tasks. Small tasks can quickly become overwhelming and hard to stay on top of. If you can create good habits with various tasks, big or small, it will eventually become a routine, which will in turn be a more effective and consistent way to get things accomplished.
– Take Notes– I don’t know about you but I easily forget things, especially with so much going on. If I didn’t take notes, I would forget almost everything I needed to do and/or remember each day.
– Delegate– Delegating is so important. If a coworker can complete a task you don’t have time for and they will do a good job with it, why not take something off your plate?
– Keep An Organized Work Space– I feel so much more productive when my desk is clean. I can always find what I am looking for much faster when it is organized and everything is in its proper place.
– Know Your Habits– The article sums it up perfectly, “If you’re an early bird, get your most important tasks out of the way early. If you’re a night owl, don’t force yourself to turn in big projects in the morning. Play to your strengths.”
– Have Quiet Hours– Put a “do not disturb” sign on your door, put your phone on silent- do whatever it takes to limit distractions. Getting distracted is the most common way to waste valuable work hours- so do what you can to keep distractions to a minimum in order to be more productive.
This article lists so many great ideas on how to make the most of your time. I hope you enjoyed reading and reflecting on it as much as I did.
If upon reflection, you can see that managing your bookkeeping is taking up too much of your valuable time, perhaps it is time to “delegate” and hire a professional to do it for you. Or if you realize that bookkeeping is not one of your strengths, maybe it’s time to let a professional take over. Contact Accounting By The Books today to see how we can help you.
Tiffany Goodin,