As a business owner, one of your primary goals is to ensure that every single employee you have working for you is at their most productive as often as possible. We all know that productivity opens the door for a better business, more revenue, and higher profit margins. But, in your quest to get every drop of energy out of your staff, are you dropping the ball a little yourself? It’s a common issue, but one that has a few simple fixes. Here are some of the biggest productivity drains you will experience as a boss, and a bunch of tools and techniques to overcome them.
Stop micro managing
As an small business owner, you might have a few difficulties in relinquishing control over what happens in the everyday running of your company. But you need to let go. Micromanaging takes you away from the tasks you need to complete, and also puts your employees on edge, therefore harming their productivity. Trust your employees, and you will find that everyone – not just you – gets more done.
Use intelligent planning
Intelligent planning is all about making the best use of your time, within a particular time frame. You often hear about startup and small business owners never having enough time in the day to get things done. But be honest – if this sounds familiar, are you really being productive during those hours? No one can work at their best from the crack of dawn until midnight, every single day. And if you are, there’s every chance you are struggling with organization. Instead, try developing a better routine, plan your week in advance, and give yourself time blocks to complete all necessary projects.
Turn off your email
Your email is a valuable tool, but it’s also an incredible productivity drain. If you reach for your phone or open up your email every time you hear a ding, you are disturbing your work rhythm and wasting valuable minutes. So, get yourself an email productivity app. Something like ActiveInbox could help you free up an enormous amount of time every day.
Automation
On the subject of automation, we’re lucky to live in a world where automation is coming to the fore. Use it – you’ll find that it frees up time in almost every area of your business, whether it’s scheduling Tweets to publish at specific times on your Twitter account or chasing up late invoices, there is a tool available for almost every business operation. Take HR processes as another example. Look for HR software features that include everything from shift and rota planning through to maintaining employee records and tracking sick days. You’ll never have to curse at an Excel spreadsheet again!
Use the gym
OK, so you don’t have to use the gym if you don’t like them – but you do need to take time out in the day to exercise. Getting fit and working out is essential if you want to be a productive boss. It sharpens your brain, gives you more energy, and helps you develop a lot more focus. Simply put, if you are sick and unhealthy, your company will be enduring the same.
Any tips or tools to add? Let us know about them in the comments!
