Productivity continues to be a focus of businesses across the United States. Small businesses are no exception largely because business owners often juggle the majority of the business on their shoulders. Many business owners (and even employees) often search for various methods that can help them get more done in their day. Yet, there are some things that are often overlooked. Here are 5 secrets of productivity that business owners often miss.
Spend the First 14 Minutes of Your Day Planning
That’s not a typo. We really do mean 14 minutes of your day. Why 14 minutes? Because that is approximately 1% of your entire day (the full 24 hours). If you spend the first 14 minutes of your day planning what you need to accomplish, you’ll be more focused and ready to take on the other 99% of it. We’re not necessarily saying that you need to plan things down to the exact minute. We are saying that you should determine your three most important business goals and your three most important personal goals for the day.
Delegate to Save Your Time
If we were to ask you where your time was best spent, what would your answer be to us? Working with clients? Growing your business? It’s probably a combination of those two items. Here’s a helpful tip that you can learn from the legal field: you should only focus on doing the things that only you can do. The rest can be delegated.
If you’ve ever needed legal help, you probably dealt with a legal assistant or paralegal to get basic information. This is because lawyers save their time to handle the things that only they can do. Only lawyers can set fees. Only lawyers can give legal advice. Only lawyers can represent clients in court. They often delegate administrative work on client matters and administrative business management to others. This enables lawyers to have a single focus: the matter sitting in front of them.
There are many reasons why a business owner may not want to delegate. Yet, there are two common reasons. Either they can’t afford to hire an employee, or they don’t want to relinquish control. Client’s ARM can help in both instances. On average, delegating to Client’s ARM is 40% less expensive than hiring an employee. Because we work from a remote location in the United States, businesses save on overhead. With more than 30 years of experience, our clients rest assured that they’re getting the expertise they want while they place their focus doing the things that they do best.
Create Time Limits for Meetings
Meetings often go past their scheduled time. To protect your time and your productivity, create time limits for meetings. Meetings should last no longer than 30 minutes. They shouldn’t be scheduled unless they’re necessary. Additionally, only the people who are truly integral to the project should be in attendance. Meetings should also rely on a focused itinerary.
Work When You’re Most Productive
When do you feel like you’re at your peak performance? Are you an early bird or a night owl? One of the easiest ways to increase productivity is to work when you’re most productive. Sometimes, those peak hours fall outside of the typical 9 to 5, and that’s okay. You can work on the most pressing matters during those times. You’ll get more done and you’ll feel energized. Working when you are most productive helps you ignore distractions, too.
Schedule in Uninterrupted Work Time
Your time is your most important asset. To be as productive as possible, block off time on your schedule each day for uninterrupted work. This means no phone calls, no text messages, no meetings, no returning emails. It is purely focused time to complete items from your daily planning session. If you have an assistant that can see your calendar, it is imperative that you let them know not to schedule anything during that time. You can even set up a recurring private appointment or an appointment that is named “Blocked.”
Get More Done in Less Time
If you’re a business owner looking for a way to get more done in less time, consider partnering with Client’s ARM. With more than 30 years of experience, we help you keep your focus where it belongs: on your clients. We provide service-based businesses with help related to accounts receivable, managing IOLTA accounts, ICD coding, filing electronic health insurance claims, first and third-party collections, credit management, and more. To learn how we can help your business, call us today to schedule your free consultation.
