|
How to Double Your Most Valuable Non Renewable Asset: Time A set of sound time management rules is a key factor in increasing the productivity and profitability of your company. This is something that we have been working on diligently at Permaboss over the past couple of months. We have finally honed it down to a simple 6 step system that works incredibly well for us and will double the output of your staff and yourself. But more importantly it will help you leverage your limited resources better and to the highest possible degree. All it takes is a few extra minutes per day for a few weeks. I am of the belief that it takes 40 consistent days to create a habit. If you can do it in less then all the power to you. The first thing you need to do is carefully evaluate and examine how your time is currently being used. Without a doubt, you are spending time on low ranking priorities. We created a spreadsheet that we printed off every morning for a one month period. You fill in the half-hour increments throughout the day, making a note of what you worked on for most of that half hour. Make it detailed enough, so when you look back at it, you can remember what it was. You may say to yourself, as I did, "if I had time to do this, I wouldn't need to improve my time management", but you will be shocked at how you spend your time, how you are interrupted and you will find it is a worthwhile activity and it takes less than 20 seconds for each half hour of the day. The results are far more valuable than the small amount of expended time filling in the sheets. When you have completed a week, look them over on Saturday. Have your morning coffee over the time sheets. You will probably be astonished at what you find. Right away you will see areas that waste your time and abilities, things that somebody else in your organization should be doing so you can work on the more important things in your business. It will make clear which tasks you should be delegating to your employees, and if you don't have any, which tasks you should stop doing because it simply doesn't add to the bottom line of your business. If you are a one man/woman band then you had better get a student or some part time help. These people sometimes say “I can’t afford to. Well the bottom line is that you CANNOT afford NOT to. How can you possibly work on things to grow your business if you are wrapped up with things like FedEx-ing or doing artwork when you ought to be selling, marketing, presenting, and delegating. One thing that we noticed is how much time is spent on email and phone calls. Obviously, both are important and contact with clients is what makes the business run, but now you can gain control and not let them run you! The trick is to set aside specific segments of time in the day for checking and answering emails, returning phone calls, and addressing employee questions and issues. “gotta minute time killers” If you are being interrupted at random you are wasting your day. These employee questions are the "got a minute's" when someone just pops their head in your door and distracts you from what you are doing. Avoiding this affords me several hours during the day that are totally uninterrupted and highly productive. Your people are wasting their day and this is proof that they can’t think on their own. Some say “I need control”. Well then keep control and stay stressed, small and tired. Learn to manage people, delegate, and train people to think then you will create a business that can start to run without you. I love Permaboss but I don’t want it to own me. It is better to own your business and have it work for you instead of work you over! Here are the 6 golden rules. These represent my 15 years of courses, books, seminars and mentors. Follow these 6 golden rules of time management and change your life, your business and gain more and more freedom as you perfect them. Step 1: Touch It Once Step 2: Filing Step 3: 6 To Do's Step 4: Schedule Step 5: Do the Things That Offer the Best Results First Step 6: Throw It Away By following these steps, you will automatically start bumping off the unimportant things from the bottom of your list. They may never get done but that's okay if they don't make any profound impact on your business, you're better off not doing them at all. If they don't work for your situation right away, don't give up, just tweak them to fit your individual needs.
We respect your privacy and your wishes. This list will never be sold or rented to third parties. If you no longer wish to receive The Embossible Times, please send a blank email to unsubscribe@permaboss.com Robert Harbauer Related Sites: © Copyright Permaboss.com Inc 2003 |