How To Save Time When Running Your Own Business

Many people believe that running your own business means you have to wave goodbye to the 9-5 lifestyle as your company begins to consume your every waking thought. However, with careful management and good forward planning, you may actually find that you are working fewer hours than you were in your previous position.

In fact, one of the key skills required of a business owner is good time management. This enables you to make the most out of the time you spend behind your desk - whether you are liaising with your customers or supporting your staff with their own workload. 

With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to save time when running your own business. 

Delegating Tasks

When you first launch your company, your team may be relatively small, making it hard to delegate work across your task force. However, you can better manage your time by outsourcing staff whenever possible. This takes a significant amount of pressure off your shoulders but saves you the task of bringing in and vetting new hires. For example, if you are prepping to launch a new product and need a skilled project manager, you could source this work by working with a dedicated development team.

Task Writing and To Do Lists

Start each morning by writing down a list of the tasks you need to complete that day. Then, figure out the amount of time you can realistically spend on each task and schedule them into your day in order of priority. This is much more practical than simply hopping from one task to the next without a real sense of direction, as it encourages you to stay on track and make the most of every minute. 

Multi-tasking?

While you may feel as though you are drowning in a paperwork mountain, ensure that you do not fall into the trap of multitasking. While multi-tasking is sometimes inevitable, making it part of your daily routine will make it nearly impossible for you to manage your workload effectively. The quality of your work will also suffer, as you won’t be giving each task the care and attention it deserves. 

Time Management

 If you want to leave work at a reasonable time each day, you need to ensure that your employees can do the same - and that they are not calling you for help or guidance late into the night. As a result, you can ensure that good time management becomes commonplace throughout the company by ensuring that all staff are well trained when they begin their jobs. You should also make an effort to improve your employee’s work environment wherever possible. For example, you should focus on creating a company culture where each and every employee feels valued and respected - as this will increase their productivity and the rate at which they work. 

Productivity vs Cutting Corners

While you may be keen to save time when working, it’s important that you do not cut corners to achieve this goal. After all, this will negatively affect other areas of your business, such as customer satisfaction. Instead, focus on being more productive in the workplace so that you can make each minute count.  

Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash