Balancing productivity and organization is no small task, especially for small business owners. There are dozens of tips on how to keep organized without getting bogged down, and here we’ve gathered together three of the best. This nutshell course will give you the foundation you need to start better controlling your time without sacrificing your productivity levels.
- Prioritize Your Priority List
Running a small business means juggling a seemingly endless list of things To Do. The problem is that each task can seem just as important as another, resulting in a long list where almost everything is considered Top Priority. Sit down and take a long, hard look at what you really need to do. Chris Licata of Blake’s All Natural Foodsreported that he was able to truly prioritize once he accepted the fact that “there is no such thing as a list of 10 priorities.” Identify the top 3 things that you actually need to handle and delegate the rest.
- Learn How to Delegate
Delegating is a difficult issue for many business owners, but without it you’ll suffer in the long term. Learn how to rely on your team by working closely at first and, over time, letting go more and more. This gradual weaning can help business owners used to doing everything themselves and it also gives employees the chance to touch base frequently as they learn exactly how to get the job done.
- Invest in Good Software
Cutting corners — and costs — on software is tempting, but it’ll cost you in the long run. A retail POS app at a bargain basement price is probably cheap for a reason. Instead, research and investigate options that can become a hub for POS and productive inventory control in order to save time and improve organization in the long run.
Finally, we have a bonus tip. One that people often overlook — taking care of yourself and your employees. Promote healthy initiatives like creating a comfortable work environment and actively working with your staff to prevent and reduce as much stress as possible. This keeps everyone healthier, happier and ultimately more productive. It also makes your efforts to improve productivity and organization even more effective — a true win-win for everyone.
