Running a business means you’re constantly wearing different hats. Everything from team building to onboarding is up to you to figure out, and it can be tough to prioritize when it feels like everything is equally important. But one of the best things you can do for yourself, your business, and your employees is to find ways to generate greater efficiency in the workplace. Time is money, so use some of the following tips to enhance efficiency and start realizing your business’s potential today.
1. Embrace the Changes
Once you’ve settled into a routine in running a business, it can be tempting to stay put and assume that everything will continue on the same trajectory forever. But change is inevitable in all areas of life and should be prepared for as thoroughly and as frequently as possible. By being prepared for innovations, issues, and other reasons for change, you’ll be able to stay on your toes and weather whatever storms come your way. Handling big changes without having to pause the flow of business will also save you a lot of money in the long run.
It’s also important to stay up to date in all aspects of business. Whether you’re updating software or installing solar panels, being on top of important trends and knowing the necessary innovations will help you stay at the top of your industry more consistently. Putting off making necessary changes is only going to cost you long term, so keep a running list of things to keep an eye on and change them as needed.
2. Stay Focused
Everyone knows that the secret to productivity is focus, but this is often easier said than done. One strategy often utilized by business owners is “batching”. This is achieved by identifying tasks that can be done in the same way or in the same space, and could be done more quickly if done in the same time slot. If you’re someone who gets tons of emails every day and you never know when to answer them all, just batch them for a period of time and do as many as possible within that period.
Many have also found the Pomodoro technique to be incredibly effective, alternating 25 minute work periods with five minute breaks. This method is so simple, you can easily ask your employees to integrate it into their workday, as it requires no special software and is effective for almost anyone. Another essential aspect of focus is understanding how to prioritize. Get your employees to write down their list of tasks and give them a designated priority, from needing completion immediately to maybe putting it off for the next day. This will help them to narrow down their tasks for the immediate moment and makes time management much easier.
3. Get Automated
There are so many tools now that can accomplish tasks you may still be trying to do on your own. Repetitive tasks along the production line that may seem insignificant can actually add up to entire hours of the work day that could be spent in better ways. Identifying these tasks might take a while, but you’ll be surprised by how much time you can save yourself and employees by taking this on.
For instance, if you’re relying on a marketing team to make social media posts on a regular basis, you might want to make the switch to a digital marketing machine that can automatically make posts scheduled for specific days. This means your team can just spend a few hours once a week creating posts and scheduling them, then spend the rest of their work week focusing on other tasks.
At the end of the day, achieving efficiency in your business means being flexible and open to trying lots of new ideas. Stay curious and don’t be afraid to let others give their input – you might be surprised by what you find.
