I’m sure you have heard the saying that “Time is money.” It’s even more accurate when you apply this principle to being an entrepreneur. You don’t have a lot of time to accomplish everything on your to-do list, so you must learn how to work smarter — and teach your team to do the same. Did you know? Some of the best and well-known companies don’t have big teams, yet they have very effective ones.
So, here are six tips to keep you from getting bogged down from task overload and work smarter:
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Create a list and follow it.
One of the most important ways to get the most out of your time is to know where you are spending it. Create a to-do list and follow it as much as you possibly can. There will be some speed bumps down the road, but you can avoid a ton of headaches if you just sit down and plan a little bit. Create goals for the day, month and year. Create plans for your team as well. This way, they know what is expected of them and won’t have to rely on you at every turn to find out what is next.
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Think about it first.
Many of our parents used to tell us to think before we act. As entrepreneurs, we can take that advice and go further. Before you pick up the phone and make a call, think about what you want to accomplish. Remind yourself of what you need to get done so that you don’t get sidetracked when you start talking. Remember: you are trying to tackle a lot of things throughout your day, and having to contact someone again might be very troublesome and time consuming. Tell your team you expect the same attitude from them.
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Focus.
Sometimes, we just get too distracted throughout the day. If things need to get done, you have to focus on them. Don’t let distractions keep you from accomplishing everything you set out to do. Create a “do not disturb” sign and hang it on your door when it’s crunch time. You can do the same for your team. Do not disturb them during certain periods (e.g., product launches, client preparation, etc). They need to focus just as much as you do. Ensure everyone is on task and on point.
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Find a system that works for you.
Everyone works in a certain way and you have to find the system that works well for you. Don’t try different systems because you hear good things about them; you’ll only end up confusing yourself and your team. Find a system that works for what you need and stick to it. There’s no point trying to learn each and every system if you already have one in place that works fine.
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Delegate your workload.
It would be nice to do everything yourself, but that’s not realistic or productive. Delegate your work to internal or outsourced team members so everyone has something to do. Your results will improve because tasks aren’t rushed, and you’ll be able to relax a little and de-stress. You might even discover hidden talent within your team.
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Use technology to your advantage.
Technology was designed to help everyone, including entrepreneurs. Don’t forget you can set events on your phone or create a better system that helps with customer issues. You can also use online support help desks to help reduce the number of customer service calls and allow your team to be more productive. Technology can work with you, and you’ll be able to get more done with the limited resources that you have.
This article has been edited and condensed.
Dan Adika is CEO and Co-Founder at WalkMe, an online guidance and engagement platform. WalkMe provides a cloud-based service designed to help professionals – customer support managers, user experience managers, training professionals, SaaS providers and sales managers – to guide and engage prospects, customers, employees and partners through any online experience. Connect with @DanAdika on Twitter.
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