If you think that time in a company is never enough it is because you are not manage company time effectively: make a list of priorities and keep track of what you do!
We always complain that time is not enough, that we have little, that there are too many things to do and we cannot close all the tasks of the day. True, the things to be done have certainly increased and we are required to achieve ever greater efficiency and speed. It is possible, however, not to passively “suffer” what happens to us: you have to follow these 5 simple steps, which will allow you to manage time effectively in the company. And productivity will thank you too.
1. Think of time as a resource
Like a raw material or money, the entrepreneur who wants to make the most of his time in the company must think of his working hours as a resource, which can be properly quantified. Once we become aware of time as a resource, it is necessary to concretize it both in final terms (what have I done today?) And in perspective terms (how do I organize myself having to do this work and having this time available?).
Thinking in final terms means stopping and becoming aware of how the time of day was used, perhaps using an excel file or specific software. Thinking of a “balance sheet” helps us to understand how much time we have dedicated to activities that we have not concluded, perhaps allowing us to close them at a later time or to avoid repeating the mistake of starting too many things together with the risk of getting lost in the future.
Using the time resource in perspective terms, on the other hand, means thinking and planning our future time, so as to forecast and quota the time we want to dedicate to the different activities. For example, knowing that tomorrow I will have 8 hours of working time available, I could schedule an hour for training, another hour for the administration of the studio, 3 hours for a client for an appointment, 2 hours for phone calls and emails, an hour to put order on the desk and / or desktop, etc.
2. Keep a written record of the use of time
A very useful suggestion is to keep track of the use of one’s own time: once the initial resistance has been overcome, in short you will understand the usefulness of this practice which can be transformed into greater turnover. By writing all that is done, with relative timing, it is also possible to use the data collected to parcel out the services to the customers, avoiding forgetting some activities or even just showing the time dedicated to them. In practice, to make the most of and optimize time, it is advisable to do a to do list. Moreover, by doing so we can easily understand what are the indispensable activities and those, instead, that can be neglected.
3. Think that you can’t do everything
It is essential not to feel guilty if we realize that a large part of our time has evaporated in activities that are not directly productive, either because in our professional activity it is fundamental to take care of relationships and training and because if we really allocate too much of our a day of unproductive activities, becoming aware of it will allow us to change our behavior and focus only on profitable things to manage company time.
4. Make a list of priorities
It is true that you cannot do everything, but it is equally true that you cannot waste time in vain. For this reason it is important to define what are the daily priorities, the deadlines that cannot be postponed and to leave the issues instead that can wait. To become familiar with this type of analysis, it might be useful at least initially to dedicate 5 minutes of reflection to the end of each activity, to understand we have achieved the set objectives. By doing this you will be able to better understand whether your strategy is successful or not.
5. Allow yourself a few minutes break
A true leader can be recognized by the breaks. The entrepreneur who has the situation in his hand and who manages his time best knows when to turn off the PC and allow himself a moment of pause to recharge the batteries and start again with more momentum. This type of attitude must also be transmitted to employees in order to make them responsible and make them more productive. After all, to optimize your time you need to be rested, fresh and shiny … and without pauses this is not possible.
