I have heard it said by many management gurus that time is money. Saving time therefore is like saving money. Saving money in a business has a lot of benefits for its cash-flow. Many businesses today have also realized that saving time is one other smart way to reduce costs. Management practices that save time are now trending topics among business managers worldwide. Everyone now wants to do things more efficiently and effectively as a way of adding value to the bottom-line of their businesses. They now know that getting more done within a shorter time frame increases effectiveness and efficiency. Among the many things business managers can do to save time, these six things appear to be the smartest.
01. Planning before executing. This is one of the smartest time-saving tools available to business managers. The ten or fifteen minutes spent each morning to plan the day's work creates order and sequence which consequently saves plenty of time for those executing the plan. The time spent to draw up a plan usually turns out to be the best use of time at execution stage. If a plan is in place, many smart managers always have in front of them each morning a "to-do" list. That is the list that enables them to prioritize activities for the day thereby accomplishing more within a shorter time frame.
02. Use strategy for responsibilities. This way, you can take on tasks at once which can be accomplished together. If it is possible to accomplish two or more things together which the available logistics allow, it should be done. For example, if you have to run an errand along a certain route, it saves plenty of time to take on all the tasks to be done along same route. That is one sure way to save plenty of time and efforts.
03. Use fast delivery services. Whether you want to deliver a mail or a package, what you need is fast and safe delivery. Courier companies are faster and more reliable than surface mails when delivering parcels. Emails beat surface mails all the time in mail delivery when speed is required. These are tools business managers can always employ to save time and get a lot more done as well.
04. Delegate tasks. You must accept that you are human and as such you have plenty of limitations like everyone else. You can therefore not do everything all by yourself. You can get a great deal more done by asking others to take some tasks off you if they have the competence to accomplish such tasks. That way, more gets done within a shorter time period.
05. Document your activities. When written down, it is easier to remember tasks to be performed than when they are not written. You can form the habit of having a note pad around you most of the time when at work. When on phone or while discussing with an important customer, you can always jot down important points to help you remember to take action later. That saves time and increases efficiency.
06. Build short breaks into your work schedule. You can give yourself little breaks while at work to recover your thinking pattern and recoup some mental energy. If you work full steam every day no matter how much you love the work, sooner than later you will experience the law of diminishing returns. This is because the human brain has its limits. Apart from weekend breaks, you can also take mini-breaks every few hours while at work. You can use such mini-breaks to grab a cup of coffee or just walk around to improve your blood circulation. After that, you will be able to return to your desk completely energized and ready for more work.
Every business manager needs all the time she can get to accomplish the goals of her business. Anything she does which helps her to accomplish more within a shorter time frame is usually very helpful on the long run. Doing things smartly and intelligently is the key here because time waits for no one. When customers want a service, they want it real fast. Anyone who can deliver to them at the shortest possible time usually gets more of their patronage. That is the one who will get the largest market share and subsequent profits, a scenario every smart business manager should always crave for.
Sule Yesufu, a Certified Speaking Professional, is a Strategic Partner in S D Y Management Consult, a firm of Investment, Small Business and Entrepreneurial Consultants. He is a Published Author and a Newspaper Columnist. An expert in Small Business and Personal Development, he focuses on communicating his ideas and thoughts mostly through his Training Seminars and popular free blog. He offers useful tips on Self-Improvement, Personal Finance, Entrepreneurship, Current News, Politics and Business in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa.
For more tips visit: http://www.sdymanagers.com/apps/blog/
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