As entrepreneurs, we often get caught up in the day-to-day operations of our business. We put out fires, handle customer queries, manage our employees, and do everything in our power to keep the business running smoothly. But in doing so, we may forget to focus on the bigger picture: the growth and development of our business.
Spending too much time working in your business, rather than on it, can be detrimental to your long-term success. While it's important to handle the day-to-day operations, it's equally important to take a step back and evaluate the overall direction of the business.
Here are a few reasons why spending more time working on your business is so important:
1. Strategic Planning: When you work on your business, you have the opportunity to think strategically about its future. You can identify new opportunities, set goals and objectives, and create a roadmap for growth. This type of planning is critical to the long-term success of your business and can help you stay ahead of the competition.
2. Delegation: When you're working in your business, it can be difficult to delegate tasks to others. You may feel like you're the only one who can handle certain responsibilities or that it's faster to just do it yourself. However, by working on your business, you can identify areas where you can delegate tasks to others. This not only frees up your time but also allows your employees to grow and develop new skills.
3. Innovation: When you're working in your business, it can be challenging to find the time and resources to innovate. However, by spending more time working on your business, you can identify areas where you can innovate and improve your products or services. This can help you stay relevant in a rapidly changing market and ensure the long-term success of your business.
4. Scalability: Finally, working on your business allows you to think about scalability. As your business grows, you'll need to identify ways to scale your operations, whether it's through hiring more employees, investing in new technology, or expanding your product line. By working on your business, you can identify these opportunities and plan for them in advance.
In conclusion, while it's important to work in your business, it's equally important to work on it. By taking the time to plan, delegate, innovate, and think strategically, you can ensure the long-term success of your business and achieve your goals.
That’s why we’ve come up with 30 tips to help save you time so you can spend more time working on your business rather than in it.
30 Time-Saving Tips to Skyrocket Your Business Success
1. Prioritize your tasks - focus on the most important ones first
One of the most effective ways to save time is to prioritize your tasks. Identify the most important tasks and tackle them first thing in the morning when you're fresh and energized.
Getting those big tasks (or awkward and uncomfortable ones) out of the way sets us up perfectly for the rest of the day. Having a big task eating away in the back of your mind can often make you feel anxious, distracted and certainly not as efficient as you could be when working on all those other tasks you’re trying to focus on.
2. Create a schedule and stick to it
Creating a schedule and sticking to it can help you stay organized and reduce stress. Use a calendar or planner to schedule your tasks and appointments and make sure to allocate enough time for each task.
When you’re thinking about scheduling time, also think about the times of the day or days of the week that are most productive for you. If you’re a morning person, focus on getting your ‘deep work’ done during these times. If you’re more creative in the afternoons or on a Friday, then schedule time for creative business activities such as blog writing or social media at that time.
3. Use time management tools like calendars and to-do lists
Time management tools like calendars and to-do lists can help you stay on top of your tasks and ensure that you're using your time effectively. Use these tools to plan your day, set reminders, and track your progress.
Having the visual cue of a calendar with blocks of time mapped out with different activities can help prevent your week from becoming derailed from the ‘noise’ of day-to-day business and day-to-day life for that matter!
4. Outsource tasks that don't require your expertise
As a business owner, your time is valuable, so it's important to outsource tasks that don't require your expertise. Consider hiring a virtual assistant or outsourcing tasks like bookkeeping, social media management, or content creation to free up your time.
If it’s not your strength, and especially if you hate doing something, outsource it! Focus on the activities you love and that have a direct and immediate impact on your business.
5. Limit time spent on social media and other distractions
Social media and other distractions can be a significant time drain. Set limits on your social media use and avoid other distractions like email notifications or phone calls during focused work time.
Now that you’ve planned a schedule for your week you can schedule your phone to mirror it. If you need a Wednesday morning to concentrate on your social media, schedule your phone to limit notifications and other distractions during that time each week. You can still get important notifications such as phone calls from family and friends but you don’t need Instagram notifications pinging every five minutes.
6. Set boundaries with friends and family members
As a business owner, it can be challenging to balance work and personal life. Set clear boundaries with friends and family members to avoid interruptions during work hours.
This can be especially hard if you work from home or if you do your ‘working on the business’ activities from home. Try to have a separate room or area where you can work uninterrupted for at least an hour at a time.
7. Delegate tasks to employees or assistants
Delegating tasks to employees or assistants can help you save time and focus on more critical aspects of your business. Make sure to delegate tasks that match your employees' skills and expertise.
Delegation sounds easy but our businesses are our babies and it’s hard to let go. Setting clear expectations of how you expect work to be done will relieve some of the tension as you pass on the activities to someone else. Think about creating a company playbook which documents how everything should be done.
8. Take breaks throughout the day to avoid burnout
Taking breaks throughout the day can help you avoid burnout and increase productivity. Take short breaks to stretch, walk, or do a quick meditation to recharge your batteries.
You cannot underestimate the value of what a proper break can do to your productivity. We’re not talking about a 5-minute tea break but a proper break to decompress, stretch your legs and get some fresh air. We often find the best ideas and solutions to problems present themselves while we’re walking around or in the shower and it’s no coincidence. If you’re feeling unproductive or stuck on a piece of work, stop and take a break.
9. Use automation tools to streamline processes
Automation tools can help you streamline your business processes and save time. Use tools like autoresponders, chatbots, or scheduling software to automate repetitive tasks.
Technology is moving at a pace that most of us struggle to keep up with but again, we don’t have to be experts in everything. Enlist the help of a professional to look at your business and your processes to come up with ways that technology can save you time in the long run.
10. Avoid multitasking - focus on one task at a time
Multitasking can actually decrease productivity and increase stress. Instead, focus on one task at a time and give it your full attention until it's completed.
To be honest, if you think about it, there’s no such thing as multitasking. You’re not actually doing two things at once. You’re switching between tasks at a rate that makes your head want to explode! Focus on one task at a time, either to completion or until your pre-determined time on that activity in up and then move on.
11. Learn to say "no" to non-essential tasks or commitments
Learning to say "no" to non-essential tasks or commitments can help you save time and prioritize your important tasks. Don't be afraid to say "no" if you don't have the time or resources to take on additional tasks.
Saying ‘no’ to people is really hard, especially to people you know well. But what makes it easier is putting in processes that make it harder to say yes. If you’ve got your calendar scheduled with all your important tasks for the next few weeks, it makes it a lot harder to squeeze in a ‘yes’ to someone for a non-essential task. It’s also a great visual cue to show you that if you do say ‘yes’, you’ll be saying ‘no’ to something else already set in your calendar.
12. Use the Pomodoro technique to stay focused
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. It's a simple, yet effective technique that can help you increase your productivity and focus on tasks for longer periods of time.
Here's how it works:
1. Choose a task you want to complete
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes (this is called a "Pomodoro")
3. Work on the task until the timer goes off
4. Take a short break (5-10 minutes)
5. Repeat steps 2-4 four times
13. Batch similar tasks together to increase efficiency
Batching similar tasks together can help you increase efficiency and save time. For example, schedule all your phone calls for the same time of day to avoid interruptions throughout the day.
As business owners, we wear many hats and it’s better for our productivity to be wearing just one hat at a time and wearing it no more than once per day.
14. Use a project management tool to keep track of tasks and deadlines
Project management tools like Trello, Asana, or Monday can help you stay organized and keep track of your tasks and deadlines.
15. Avoid unnecessary meetings or phone calls
Meetings and phone calls can be time-consuming and often unnecessary. Avoid unnecessary meetings or phone calls, and instead, use email or chat to communicate.
Remember, you don’t need to be available to customers and employees all the time. Availability is not what’s valuable, your responses are. If you’re responding to customer needs in a timely manner that’s fantastic. It doesn’t mean you have to drop what you’re doing every time the phone rings.
Make sure you have a voicemail that encourages the caller to leave a detailed message outlining their needs and assuring them that you will respond.
16. Use templates or standardized processes to save time
Creating templates or standardized processes can help you save time and increase efficiency. Use templates for emails, proposals, or invoices to save time.
17. Use a time tracking tool to monitor how you spend your time
Monitoring how you spend your time can help you identify time-wasting activities and optimize your schedule. Use a time tracking tool like RescueTime or Toggl to monitor your time.
18. Wake up earlier or stay up later to get more work done
Waking up earlier or staying up later can help you get more work done and increase productivity. However, make sure to prioritize sleep and rest to avoid burnout.
Now this isn’t a tip we’d recommend long term but if you’ve got an important task to complete, you can always find more time to get it done.
19. Use a virtual assistant to handle administrative tasks
A virtual assistant can help you handle administrative tasks like scheduling, email management, or data entry, freeing up your time to focus on your business.
One of the biggest barriers to taking on a virtual assistant is the thought that you can just do it yourself. Sure you can, but at what cost? Every hour spent on administrative tasks that could have been outsourced is an hour lost that could have been spent working on the things that truly count.
20. Take advantage of technology to collaborate remotely
Collaborating remotely can help you save time and increase flexibility. Use technology like Zoom, Slack, or Google Drive to collaborate with your team or clients remotely.
Not only this, consider holding more meetings online to save wasted hours commuting to a meeting place and also make use of scheduling software such as Calendly to allow for ease of agreeing a mutually convenient time.
21. Use a task management app to stay organized
Task management apps like Todoist or Any.do can help you stay organized and keep track of your tasks and deadlines.
22. Use a time-blocking technique to schedule your day
Time-blocking involves scheduling your day in blocks of time for specific tasks or activities. Use this technique to optimize your schedule and increase productivity.
23. Take advantage of downtime to catch up on work
Take advantage of downtime like waiting in line or commuting to catch up on work. During downtime, use your phone or tablet to work on emails or other tasks.
Or better still, listen to a podcast that can help enrich your personal development or learn a new skill.
24. Avoid perfectionism - aim for progress, not perfection
Perfectionism can be a significant time drain. Instead, aim for progress and focus on completing your tasks to the best of your abilities, rather than striving for perfection.
25. Set realistic goals and deadlines
Setting realistic goals and deadlines can help you stay motivated and focused. Make sure to set goals that are achievable and create realistic deadlines.
26. Use a time audit to identify time-wasting activities
A time audit involves tracking how you spend your time to identify time-wasting activities. Use a time audit to optimize your schedule and eliminate time-wasting activities.
We’d recommend logging your activities over a two-week period broken down into 15-minute intervals.
27. Use the "two-minute rule" to quickly complete small tasks
The "two-minute rule" involves completing small tasks that take less than two minutes immediately. This technique can help you reduce your to-do list and increase productivity.
It’s always a great feeling to smash through a ton of work and turn that to-do list or inbox down from 30 items to 5.
28. Use the Eisenhower matrix to prioritize tasks
The Eisenhower matrix is a productivity tool that helps individuals prioritise tasks based on their urgency and importance. It consists of four quadrants:
- Urgent and important tasks: These are tasks that require immediate attention and should be done first. Examples include emergencies, important deadlines, and critical tasks.
- Important but not urgent tasks: These are tasks that are important but not time-sensitive. They should be scheduled and done before they become urgent. Examples include planning, strategising, and relationship building.
- Urgent but not important tasks: These are tasks that are time-sensitive but not important. They should be delegated or outsourced whenever possible. Examples include answering emails, attending meetings, and handling routine tasks.
- Not urgent and not important tasks: These should be eliminated at the earliest opportunity.
29. Use a distraction-blocking app to stay focused
If you’re a full-blown social media addict then using distraction-blocking apps like Freedom or Focus can help you stay focused and avoid distractions like social media or email notifications.
30. Finally, remember to take care of yourself - prioritize self-care to avoid burnout!
Taking care of yourself is crucial to avoid burnout and increase productivity. Prioritize self-care activities like exercise, meditation, or spending time with friends and family to recharge your batteries.
BONUS - Book Recommendations
If you found this blog post on time management tips helpful and want to continue learning, we have put together a list of 10 highly recommended books on the topic.
These books have been written by experts in the field and offer practical advice and strategies for improving your productivity and achieving more in less time.
Whether you are looking to automate tasks, organize your work, or focus on high-value activities, there is something for everyone on this list. Take a look and see which book resonates with you!
1. "The 4-Hour Work Week" by Tim Ferriss - This book focuses on time management and productivity, with a goal of reducing your workload to just four hours per week. Ferriss shares his own experiences and strategies for automating tasks, outsourcing work, and focusing on high-value activities.
2. "Getting Things Done" by David Allen - This book offers a system for organizing your work and personal life, helping you to stay focused and productive. Allen's methodology centers around capturing all of your tasks and ideas in a single system, then breaking them down into actionable steps.
3. "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less" by Greg McKeown - This book argues that by focusing on the most important tasks, you can achieve more while reducing stress and overwhelm. McKeown encourages readers to identify their core values and prioritize their time accordingly.
4. "Atomic Habits" by James Clear - This book explains how small, incremental changes in your habits can lead to big improvements in your productivity and success. Clear offers practical strategies for creating and sticking to new habits, as well as breaking bad ones.
5. "The One Thing" by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan - This book suggests that by focusing on one key area of your life or work, you can achieve extraordinary results. Keller and Papasan encourage readers to identify the most important task or goal, and then focus all of their efforts on achieving it.
6. "Deep Work" by Cal Newport - This book argues that the ability to focus deeply on important tasks is becoming increasingly rare, but is essential for success in today's economy. Newport offers strategies for minimizing distractions, improving concentration, and maximizing productivity.
7. "The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz - This book argues that managing your energy, rather than just your time, is the key to peak performance. Loehr and Schwartz offer practical tips for improving your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy levels.
8. "Eat That Frog!" by Brian Tracy - This book offers practical tips for overcoming procrastination and getting more done in less time. Tracy encourages readers to tackle their most difficult tasks first thing in the morning, and to break large projects into smaller, more manageable pieces.
9. "The Effective Executive" by Peter Drucker - This classic book offers timeless advice on time management, productivity, and leadership. Drucker emphasizes the importance of setting clear goals, delegating tasks effectively, and managing your time and energy wisely.
10. "Sprint" by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, and Braden Kowitz - This book offers a framework for running a successful business through a series of focused, time-limited sprints. The authors provide practical advice for conducting research, generating ideas, and testing prototypes, all within a compressed timeframe.
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