Running a small business is hard work. But when you put in the time and effort it takes to grow your business, it can be extremely rewarding. Becoming a successful entrepreneur requires dedication and passion. It also necessitates effective prioritization and the organizational skills that foster a growth in productivity. In this article, we are going to go over some of the best methods to increase your productivity, helping your business thrive.
Small Business Priorities
When running a small business, the challenges and projects you take on are continuously changing. Each day is different and developing an organized list of priorities can be very helpful in furthering the ongoing growth of your business. But you need to remain flexible, as you may have to reprioritize if something urgent comes up.
Time Management and Prioritization – Creating a List
Thinking about all the tasks you need to complete can be overwhelming. But once you have written down or typed out those tasks, making each task an individual item, your to-do list instantly becomes manageable. There are many ways you can organize your list of priorities, and we are going to cover several methods proven to be effective for a large proportion of business owners.
- Determine which tasks are most urgent (if you know something must be completed today, place it at the top of your list)
- Estimate the amount of time each of today’s tasks is going to take (once you have calculated the total, you will know how much time you have left to complete the rest of your tasks)
- After you have listed today’s urgent tasks, begin creating a list of your other tasks and including their due dates if applicable (for tasks with specific deadlines, be sure to include them within your calendar and/or reminders so they do not sneak up on you, pausing your other projects)
- Always leave time for the unexpected (this way if something like a customer call runs an hour longer than you intended, you still have enough time to complete your urgent tasks; and if the unexpected does not occur, you can get a head start on your lower priority work)
Who Is Right for the Job?
It doesn’t matter whether you have one, two, or 25+ employees. Designating each task to the person you know can best handle it is a necessity. And often times that person might actually be you. The longer the amount of time you have worked with a team member, the easier it is to know which tasks are best suited to his or her skill sets. It may take some guessing and checking for newer employees, but it should not take too long to figure out their capabilities and assign work accordingly.
Take Pride in Every Accomplishment
We are not saying that you should have a celebration each time a new task is completed; but be proud of a job well done. Every time you check something off your list or complete a project is another step toward realizing the full potential of your business. Taking a little bit of time to congratulate yourself for your daily accomplishments goes a long way toward enjoying a fulfilling, prosperous career.
