Time managers will make good business managers
Farrah Gray/NNPA Columnist
Issue date: 5/3/09 Section: Business
It is easy to say, but difficult to practice. Most small business entrepreneurs have difficulty controlling their time. It is fundamental to organize your tasks and schedule.
Let's start from the goal. With more time available you will be able to exercise innovation, develop "out-of-the-box" thinking to see what is wrong and what can be improved. You will be able to be more connected and updated with trends, opportunities and threats. You will be able to have a more balanced life with leisure and with your family.
So, what should you do? There is no magic. But the best solutions for the worst problems are often the most simple.
Start with writing down the daily tasks that you need to do every day. Examples: read the news, read e-mails, reply e-mails, pay bills, verify bank accounts, verify stock, call suppliers, and so on.
Estimate how much time you need to accomplish those tasks. Verify where you can optimize your time, and organize the schedule to get it done. Start with only controlling the time spent. It is already a great step.
Resolve, first, the easiest and shortest tasks. If in some task you exceed your time limit, stop, then go to the next one. Return to that one only after finished the "round" and use your "spare time" for so doing.
Try to reduce 10 percent to 30 percent the time of some less valuable tasks. With other tasks, develop a worksheet and try to empower yourself to accomplish and control it.
Try to reserve, at least one or two hours to creative thinking, to research, new products, new approaches, and new markets, depending on your core business and always with focus on strengths. Keep in mind to not lose touch with the "big picture" of your market and competitors.
Creative time is defined as taking a certain thought (such as getting rich or finding that one special love), thinking about it in a determined fashion, and then holding that thought strongly enough to impress that thought onto motion implementation. This will cause the creative thinking process to accomplish the circumstances you wish to achieve your goals.
Let's start from the goal. With more time available you will be able to exercise innovation, develop "out-of-the-box" thinking to see what is wrong and what can be improved. You will be able to be more connected and updated with trends, opportunities and threats. You will be able to have a more balanced life with leisure and with your family.
So, what should you do? There is no magic. But the best solutions for the worst problems are often the most simple.
Start with writing down the daily tasks that you need to do every day. Examples: read the news, read e-mails, reply e-mails, pay bills, verify bank accounts, verify stock, call suppliers, and so on.
Estimate how much time you need to accomplish those tasks. Verify where you can optimize your time, and organize the schedule to get it done. Start with only controlling the time spent. It is already a great step.
Resolve, first, the easiest and shortest tasks. If in some task you exceed your time limit, stop, then go to the next one. Return to that one only after finished the "round" and use your "spare time" for so doing.
Try to reduce 10 percent to 30 percent the time of some less valuable tasks. With other tasks, develop a worksheet and try to empower yourself to accomplish and control it.
Try to reserve, at least one or two hours to creative thinking, to research, new products, new approaches, and new markets, depending on your core business and always with focus on strengths. Keep in mind to not lose touch with the "big picture" of your market and competitors.
Creative time is defined as taking a certain thought (such as getting rich or finding that one special love), thinking about it in a determined fashion, and then holding that thought strongly enough to impress that thought onto motion implementation. This will cause the creative thinking process to accomplish the circumstances you wish to achieve your goals.
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