As a business owner, time is one of your most valuable resources but there are time vampires all around. With so many hats that all have their own tasks and responsibilities to manage, it’s important to eliminate time-wasters that can slow down your progress and drain your productivity. To change this takes effort, discipline and focus. Here are six steps you can take to eliminate time-wasters in your business which you can start to implement today:
1. Identify your time-wasters
The first step in eliminating time-wasters is to identify what they are. Take some time to evaluate your workday and identify tasks that consume your time without contributing to your bottom line. To do this, list out the key categories you are responsible for in each of your roles. Use these categories to create a tally sheet which you can easily record the time against as you go along each day. All weeks are never normal, so if there is something sporadic occurring still record it, you’d be surprised how many times it happens. Each tally tick should represent a 15 minute part of your day. Once you have done this for 10-15 working days you can then look at taking some action. Some common time-wasters include excessive meetings, social media browsing, and email overload.
2. Prioritise your tasks
Once you’ve identified your time-wasters, prioritise your tasks based on their importance and urgency. This is where having a plan of what must be achieved for the year, quarter, month, week and each day will help. Also review all the tasks you do in terms of skill set required to so it. It may well be that you as stopping yourself from working on the larger revenue activities because of something that anyone could do. Then focus on completing the most critical tasks first, and delegate or eliminate non-essential tasks that don’t directly contribute to your business goals.
3. Automate and delegate
One of the most effective ways to eliminate time-wasters is to automate or delegate repetitive tasks. Remember a repetitive task is one you do more than once! Look for software or tools that can automate tasks like invoicing, social media management, and email marketing. Consider hiring virtual assistants or outsourcing tasks to freelancers or contractors to free up your time for more important tasks. Cost of these may seem too much but ask yourself, how much is it costing you by not doing the core revenue building tasks in your business. Typically we see clients doing £12 per hour jobs rather than the £50 to £100 per hour ones that make a difference to your business.
4. Establish clear boundaries
Establishing clear boundaries can help you avoid time-wasters like interruptions and excessive meetings. Set specific times for checking emails and taking phone calls, and let your team know when you’re not available. Its okay to let people know you won’t respond to their email until the afternoon or tomorrow, as long as they know. Limit your participation in meetings that aren’t directly related to your business goals, and delegate attendance to team members when appropriate. If you do have to attend move the goal posts, reduce meeting to 45 minutes instead of an hour or you could just attend the start or end of meetings. I once had a client who we suggested he stopped attending all meetings for two weeks to see what the outcome would be. It turns out she was only needed in 15% of those she normally attended!
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But the benefits of joining our NoLimits business community don’t stop there. By becoming part of our community, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with other business owners, share insights and ideas, and build valuable relationships that will help your business thrive. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to supercharge your business and join us today!
5. Streamline your workflows
5. Streamline your workflows: Streamlining your workflows can help you eliminate time-wasters by making your processes more efficient. Look for ways to simplify your processes and reduce the number of steps required to complete a task. Use project management tools to help you track progress and identify areas for improvement. A good way a member once did this was to flowchart each step, showed her peer group and asked them how they did it. The results were a massive contribution by the community and she then cherry picked the best ones for her saving over 2 hours a week.
6. Stay focused
6. Stay focused: Finally, stay focused and disciplined on your goals and avoid distractions that can derail your productivity. Set aside time each day to work on your most important tasks, and eliminate distractions like social media and email notifications. Use tools like Pomodoro timers or productivity apps to help you stay focused and on track. If you really want to watch cat videos on TickToc then set a regular time aside to do it and stick to it!
In conclusion, eliminating time-wasters is crucial for improving your business productivity and achieving your goals. By identifying your time-wasters, prioritising your tasks, automating and delegating, establishing clear boundaries, streamlining your workflows, and staying focused, you can make the most of your time and build a successful business. It’s the only way of achieving your potential.
If you would like more specific guidance with understanding this or any management tools why not take a look at our NoLimits Community – become a member at any level and join our community.
By Jeremy Graham-Clare
Join the NoLimits Business Community
Are you a business owner looking to take your business to the next level? Join our innovative community of like-minded professionals and gain access to a wealth of valuable resources, including a community portal to chat with other business owners, ebooks, business development software, and growth events that will transform the way you do business. Best of all, these resources are completely free and will be available to you forever.
But the benefits of joining our NoLimits business community don’t stop there. By becoming part of our community, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with other business owners, share insights and ideas, and build valuable relationships that will help your business thrive. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to supercharge your business and join us today!