Saving Time in your Business
By Tash
Hughes of
Save Time Online
No matter how
many great ideas you have, how well you understand
things that need to be done, how much you want to spend
time doing other things, there is always only
twenty-four hours on a day.
There are some
ways to save time when working your business so as to
make the most out of your working hours.
- Set up filters in your
email system. Then process emails in related groups,
starting with high priority ones.
- Block your time. Focus
on one activity at a time to be more productive. Leave
emails untouched and the phone on message bank until
their allotted block.
- Recognise your own work
patterns and needs. Do important tasks when you work
best.
- Have a notebook handy
and use it! By noting your ideas, they won’t clutter
your mind so that you can focus on the task to hand.
- Reading is an important
but easily forgotten tool in business – so timetable it.
Reading can teach you many things, inspire you and
provide variety to your working week.
- Have regular clean
outs. Make it easier to find what you need in a hurry
and prevent the need for huge clean ups.
- Make use of reminder
services or an old fashioned alarm clock. Keep in touch
with important tasks and will learn to work more
efficiently.
- Group activities away
from your desk together. It takes up more time if you
are up and down to your desk all week.
- For repetitive tasks,
try to do them in bulk. And do them in low performance
times if possible.
- Make use of other
services whenever possible. Get supplies delivered, bank
online, get postage paid envelopes or a franking
machine, use an accounting package and outsource work to
others (accountants, web designers, writers, virtual
assistants, marketers and so forth.)
-
Know your tools so they
can be used efficiently.
- Use information sites,
directories and bookmarks to make internet usage time
effective.
- Establish systems and
use them. Simple things like price lists and form
letters are time savers.
By saving
yourself minutes here and there, you can become much
more efficient and productive.
What is just as
important as saving time is making use of your time for
more than work. By taking the time away from work to be
with family and friends, to do sport and other
activities, you will be able to approach your work with
more enthusiasm.
Tash Hughes is
co-owner of Save Time Online. Found at
www.savetimeonline.info, this is an information
portal for busy Australians. There is information, tips
and links in categories such as business, parenting,
health, gift buying and energy conservation.
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