Productivity. Sales. Revenue. Profit.
Everyone wants to increase the number associated with each of these words but not everyone realizes that the wanted increase will always start with efficiency. Whether your business is solely run by you, a handful of employees, or thousands, efficiency is the key to unlocking those other amazing numbers.
As an entrepreneur, it is up to you to improve efficiency but it doesn’t start with a meeting or an email. Your efficiency has to do with small tasks and behaviors that can seem to add hours to your day. Once you’ve gotten the hang of this better way to work, your employees will follow suit.
Keep reading to learn five ways to improve efficiency in your professional and home life!
1. Set a Routine
If you don’t already have a routine in place–implement one. This routine will stay the same for any workday, whether you choose to work from home, your office, or across the globe.
Especially when working from home, get out of bed, take a shower, and get dressed for your day. This will tell your brain that it is time to work, not play, and set the tone of your day.
A routine will also provide working hours. This means you should stick to them and avoid consistently overworking or cutting out early.
2. Two Minutes
It’s likely that the first thing you want to do in the morning is to check your email. Don’t.
Look around–look for any tasks that were left uncompleted or just need to be done that will take two minutes or less. Completing a few quick tasks now will take less time than returning to them later, and you get the added bonus of some accomplishment!
3. Take Breaks
Breaks may seem like a counterproductive measure, however, it is found that working in 90-minute intervals with 20-minute breaks between can keep you focused.
During the 90-minute work period, be sure to turn your email and social media notifications off!
4. Technology to Improve Efficiency
You may find that you spend a significant amount of time posting to social media to organically grow your following. However, this time can be better spent and it might be time to hand this off to a service that has a proven track record of social media growth.
Additionally, you may consider a hubspot mailchimp connection that can sync your contacts from one app to another. This saves you time and ensures that all of your contacts can be easily accessed and marketed to.
5. Commuting
If you do not run your business from home, you likely have a commute to and from the office. Use this time to your advantage by preparing for the day.
Preparing for the day can mean dictating notes to be transcribed later, going over a sales pitch, or even meditating for a productive day.
Small Habits, Big Improvements
When you are attempting to improve efficiency, changes are almost always needed. However, these changes do not necessarily need to be huge, nor should they make you miserable.
The key to increasing your productivity is the addition of small behaviors and the cessation of those that hinder you from your goals.
If you are interested in learning about other habits to change and improve your life, check out our blog on doing just that!