Productivity Issues?
Kerri Lawrey-Jones | Operations. Accounting. Organization. | Sunday March 7 2010As a business owner, do you ever feel your ability to be productive is hindered? Do you find it difficult to get it all done in a reasonable amount of time? Do you forget items on your To-Do list? Do you find yourself overwhelmed by not meeting your daily/weekly/monthly goals?
What if I told you it is as simple as organizing your thoughts on paper. That this simple list can increase productivity and define your immediate and long-term needs. Would you believe me? You should, because it is that simple.
Does your To-Do list consist of items that needed to be done two weeks ago? Does it include items that you continually ignore because you do not have the tools needed to get it done or the time to figure out how? Does it consist of items that are time-consuming, yet you are unable to find a block of time to complete it?
If you identify a repetitive action that continues to fall through the cracks, you have identified a productivity issue. Perhaps your reasons are justifiable, but is it possible to run a successful, sustainable business on justifiable, but unaccomplished tasks? The answer is… no.
By making a list of everything you need to accomplish on a given day, week, or month you are off to a good start. To increase productivity, further identify what is needed to accomplish the task, i.e. what tools and knowledge are needed to complete the task; how time-consuming is the task; where does it stand on the priority list; and any expected upkeep that may follow completion of the task. Finally, list all of the commitments you have that will take you away from accomplishing your tasks.
Through this list, you will be able to identify several items of importance:
1. Are you over-promising? Do you have a working knowledge of what it takes to complete the task? Have you identified the time, costs and resources you need before taking on an assignment, so you can adequately provide an appropriate estimation of completion?
2. Are you providing services that you are not yet equipped to provide – meaning are you fully educated on the subject and do you have the proper tools in place, or are you having to spend significant time researching? Would you be better off out-sourcing to a business partner?
3. Are you managing your time effectively? Are you possibly spending too much time on unproductive tasks, such as: twittering, facebooking, in-person networking, e-mails, etc that are not imperative to the task or beneficial to your business overall? Clients are your biggest asset. No amount of facebooking, networking or twittering will grow your business if you have unhappy clients that cannot recommend you.
4. Are all the tasks on your To Do list necessary for your personal and professional needs?
By identifying the issue, you are one-step closer to fulfilling your goals. Understanding why you have an issue is a step toward completion. Once you understand, you can effectively move forward.
