Accept the Power of Prioritization with Time Management

Setting priorities is one of the most important components of efficient time management. Your most essential tasks (MITs) are the ones that will have the biggest influence on your goals, therefore start each day by selecting your MITs. Setting priorities for your MITs enables you to concentrate your energy and attention on the things that are genuinely important. The Pareto Principle, commonly known as the 80/20 rule, states that 20% of your efforts will result in 80% of your results.

The Pomodoro Technique: Work Efficiently, Not Effortlessly

The Pomodoro Technique may be familiar to you. It’s a technique for managing your time that promotes concentrated work in manageable chunks of time, usually 25 minutes at a time, followed by a brief rest. By keeping you focused and reducing burnout, this method can increase your productivity. Furthermore, it’s a great way to spice up your weekday with a little structure and excitement.

Fun Fact: The originator of the Pomodoro Technique utilized a kitchen timer in the shape of a tomato, hence the term “pomodoro,” which is the Italian word for “tomato.”

For Quick Wins, Use the “Two-Minute Rule”

Have you ever noticed that you put off quick activities that would take less than two minutes to complete? Although it’s a frequent practice, it severely reduces productivity. The “Two-Minute Rule” should be incorporated into your daily routine: if a task can be completed in less than two minutes, do it right away. As well as giving you a sense of satisfaction, crossing these tiny jobs off your list will stop them from stacking up.

A Breath of Fresh Air: Ductless Mini Split AC System

Speaking of little duties, keeping up with your living space is one area of everyday life that is frequently disregarded. Making sure your living areas are comfortable is a crucial component of this, and a ductless mini split AC system may help with that. These systems are a game-changer for effective temperature management since they let you chill or heat specific rooms, saving you money on your utility costs and allowing you to conserve energy.

Fun Fact: Because they don’t need ductwork, ductless mini split AC systems are very energy-efficient.

The Technique of Scheduling: Time Blocking

Breaking up your day into separate time blocks for different projects or types of work is known as time blocking. You may avoid distractions and stay on task by using this strategy, which is highly successful. Additionally, it makes your day more enjoyable by adding a sense of order and expectation.

Digital Tools’ Mystical Power for Time Management

There are many digital tools and applications available in the era of smartphones and smartwatches that are intended to increase productivity. These tools, which range from project management software to to-do list applications, may help you organize your work, create reminders, and even monitor your progress. Find the tools that work best for you by exploring the digital toolbox; you might be amazed at the impact they can make.

Fun Fact: Todoist, the most widely used to-do list app, has more than 25 million users globally.

The Influence of Using “No”

Being productive is crucial, but understanding your boundaries is just as crucial. Saying yes to every invitation or chance that presents itself won’t prevent you from overcommitting. When it comes to protecting your time and sanity, learning to say “no” may help you prioritize your tasks while also protecting your sanity.

Improve Your Delegation Skills

You are not expected to manage anything alone. In order to free up time so you can focus on your strengths, delegation is a valuable time management strategy. Whether at work or at home, determine which chores may be assigned to others and assign them as necessary. Everyone engaged in benefits, making it a win-win situation.

Observe and Correct Time Management

Last but not least, remember to periodically stand back and evaluate your time management techniques. What works well and what may use improvement? To consistently increase your productivity, be willing to experiment with changes and new approaches. Consider the voyage of self-development, and watch your productivity soar to new heights. Keep in mind that the art of time management is not about perfection but about continuous growth. 

The post The Art of Time Management: Maximizing Your Daily Productivity appeared first on Small Business Coach.

Organize the pictures to be converted from .jpg to .pdf

We are always busy living and capturing moments on our phones. So while you prepare to convert images into PDFs, it is important to put all the images in one place. For this, you can create a separate folder on your desktop or arrange images on your phone to follow a sequential order.

Find a website

The most important step is locating a reputed, non-spammy, secure service. Several platforms allow safe, hassle-free format conversions.

Upload all your images

Some websites require logging in before you can start uploading, whereas others offer a few free trials. Upload all your images sequentially before clicking the ‘convert to PDF’ button.

Check if everything is in place

Once all the images have been updated on the website, check for the following:

• If all images are in the right order,
• Quality of the images that have been uploaded
• If you wish to add watermarks to the images to prevent unauthorized sharing.

If you want to add any details, like page numbers, signatures, or even a brand name, you can add this information at this stage.

Once the updated images have been checked and you are ready to have all your images converted into a PDF, click the ‘Convert to PDF’ button. The website will automatically start processing the images. Once the conversion has been completed, you can download the new file.

Here are a few things you can edit before hitting the ‘Convert to PDF’ button:

• Reorder images
• Add a signature or page number
• Fill in details if there are any to fill
• Compress PDF through the website directly instead of running the document through another website
• Always select the setting to optimize for image quality

Upon downloading, check if every change you have made is visible in the final document.

How to Ensure Your .jpg to .pdf Conversion is Hassle-free

1. There’s a chance the output quality may be low, often due to the default setting many websites have. To prevent this from happening, always check the settings.
2. If the images you have taken from your phone are of low quality, consider enhancing image quality before processing.
3. Several websites offer the convenience of converting processed PDF documents into PPT, XLS, and Word formats.
4. Only trust reputed websites to prevent unauthorized storage and saving of your digital assets. Be very careful of the terms and conditions listed in the fine print.
5. Investing in membership in trusted websites offering unlimited conversion cycles and various format options is highly advised when using websites to convert documents into different formats. This saves time, money and protects official information.

Conclusion on How to Convert .jpg to .pdf

Converting images to PDF format streamlines your files and allows for easy sharing, printing, and archiving, making it an essential skill for various tasks.

Following these five straightforward steps, you can effortlessly transform your .jpg images into a cohesive document. Whether you need to compile a photo album, create a professional presentation, or merge multiple images into a single file, this method provides a quick and reliable solution.

Always remember to choose a reputable online converter or desktop software to ensure the quality and security of your converted PDFs. Pay attention to resolution settings and file sizes, especially when working with large numbers of images or sharing files via email or other platforms.

The post How to Convert .jpg to .pdf in 5 Easy Steps appeared first on Small Business Coach.

1. Utilize Technology to Streamline Your Processes 

One of the most effective methods for managing a membership base is utilizing technology to streamline processes. By using software such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems and member databases, businesses can automate many tasks related to membership management, such as tracking activity, sending emails, and collecting payments. This will save time and money while making it easier for staff to manage their members efficiently. In addition to CRM systems and member databases, businesses can leverage membership management platforms offering comprehensive features designed to streamline membership processes. These platforms often include member portals, where members can access and update their information, view exclusive content, register for events, and communicate with other members. By embracing technology and utilizing these advanced tools, businesses can create a seamless and user-friendly experience for their members, fostering engagement and satisfaction while optimizing internal operations.

2. Provide Quality Customer Service 

Another important tip when it comes to effective membership management is providing quality customer service at all times. Members should feel valued and appreciated; therefore, they must receive personalized attention when needed and promptly address their issues. This could include responding quickly to inquiries or providing helpful resources on how best to use the organization’s or business’s services.

3. Leverage Automation Tools 

Automation tools such as chatbots can be very useful in helping manage many members efficiently without having to respond to every inquiry or request from each member manually. Chatbots can provide automated responses based on predefined rules set by staff so that no one person has to handle all questions or requests manually. This would be time-consuming and inefficient in larger organizations with hundreds or thousands of members spread across multiple countries/regions worldwide. Additionally, automation tools can be used for marketing purposes such as sending out promotional emails or creating targeted campaigns based on user data collected from different sources like social media platforms or emails, thus enabling more efficient lead generation efforts with the minimal manual effort required from staff.

4. Offer Incentives & Rewards Programs 

Offering incentives and rewards programs is another excellent way to keep members engaged while helping increase their loyalty levels over time. For instance, discounts on certain products/services, exclusive access to content, free shipping, etc., are all great ways businesses can reward loyal customers who have been long-term subscribers. Not only does this help increase customer satisfaction, but it also helps create an incentive for customers considering leaving due to the lack of value provided by the company’s offerings.

5. Monitor Member Activity & Engagement Levels 

The last tip for successful member management involves regularly monitoring member activity levels. This includes tracking metrics such as page views, clicks, and signups to understand their engagement with your products or services. Monitoring these metrics provides valuable insights into how well users perceive your offerings. It allows you to identify and address negative trends and capitalize on positive ones. By taking corrective action when necessary and leveraging positive trends, you can ultimately improve the overall performance of your members over time.

Conclusion on Membership Management

In conclusion, regardless of size, membership management is a vital aspect of business success. To achieve desired results, it is crucial to implement effective strategies and follow the five top tips discussed above. By embracing technology, providing quality customer service, leveraging automation tools, offering incentives and rewards programs, and monitoring member activity and engagement levels, businesses can maximize the potential associated with managing their subscriber base. These practices foster member satisfaction and contribute to long-term growth and success. Remember, consistent implementation of these strategies and continuous adaptation to evolving member needs will ensure a thriving and engaged community for years to come.

The post Unlocking Success: Five Powerful Membership Management Tips appeared first on Small Business Coach.

Cloud storage

Cloud storage services are one of the most popular and convenient ways to manage and save documents. This method allows the user to access the desired files from anywhere. All that is required is to have access to the Internet. Some of the most popular cloud storage services for Macbooks are:

• Google Drive
• Dropbox
• iCloud

Also, this method is very secure due to its ability to protect data from theft, loss, or damage.

Cloud storage services allow the user to save significant memory on their computer. Often, MacBook owners are faced with a situation where they need more space on their devices to store documents. Luckily, if there is a problem with the MacBook startup disk full, the user can find a solution on the Internet. Running out of memory can bring many inconveniences, such as slower performance. You should constantly monitor the storage state and use cloud versions to avoid this.

Using cloud storage

To use cloud storage, you need to perform a few simple steps. First, you must install the application on your Mac and create your account. Then the user can safely upload the data and organize it. One of the benefits of this kind of data storage is that it’s easy to share access with other people, which helps a lot when working in a team. It also improves the lifespan of your MacBook, and click here if you are wondering, “how long should my Macbooks last?”

Documentation management software

Owners often use software for business document management. Thanks to it, they can organize, classify, and search for the required data. This allows them to save time and effort.

DEVONthink

DEVONthink is the most popular software that allows you to store and manage documents in one place. It provides many built-in features, such as automatic file naming. Also, in it, the user can link data to each other and attach tags to them. This allows you to easily and quickly find the documents you need. In addition to storing and managing data, this application allows you to search e-mail messages and websites, enabling you to find any required documents.

Evernote

Another data management application is Evernote. Thanks to him, the business owner can leave notes in the required files and organize them in one place. This program is equipped with a powerful search to recognize characters and easily and quickly find and sort the necessary data.

Paperless Documentation

Paperless is a software designed specifically for the MacBook that allows you to manage your documents efficiently. It will enable you to scan and save the required data in one place. Its interface is straightforward and convenient, which makes it easy to understand, but its main advantage is a powerful search and sorting system for all data.

Email management

Business owners often receive hundreds of messages in their inboxes. All notes may contain documents that you want to find and sort. Fortunately, many programs can help. They search, type, store, and manage all of your papers that come into the mail.

MailMate

MailMate is an app for business owners who want to manage their email documents effectively. It has many functions in the form of filtering and tagging. This lets you quickly and efficiently find the required documents in emails. Also, this program can integrate with various cloud storage services, which makes it possible to back up data in the required location.

Airmail

Airmail is another program that manages email. It comes with many valuable features just like its counterparts. This main advantage is the possibility of a unified mailbox. It can also integrate with cloud storage. Many business owners find this application very convenient due to its simple interface and effectiveness.

Spark

Spark is an efficient email management software focused on productivity and collaboration. It offers features such as notification delegation to a team and intelligent messages. It also allows you to save attachments directly to your preferred cloud storage.

Backup Documentation

For efficient and organized management and storage of documents, it is essential to have backup copies of data. This allows you to save them, and in case of theft or loss of your MacBook, remotely clean it to protect from hacking. Apple computers have a built-in Time Machine system that allows you to make backups. This copy application can be customized according to the user’s needs and has a simple and convenient interface.

Conclusion on Documentation

Managing and storing documentation is a critical need for business owners today. Luckily for the MacBook, many methods exist to implement and simplify data organization. This article presents some of the most effective solutions for storing and managing documents. When choosing software and cloud storage, you need to consider the business’s needs and the budget’s availability.

The post Easy Storing and Managing Documentation for Business Owners appeared first on Small Business Coach.

In this article, you’ll discover the most popular virtual networking tools and expert tips on using them effectively. Get ready to break through the digital noise and build meaningful connections that take you to the next level.

Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms are your secret weapon for virtual networking. With just a few clicks, you can optimize your profiles and start engaging with others in your industry to build your brand and expand your network.

To make the most of social media for virtual networking, start by identifying the platforms where your industry hangs out the most. If you’re in the tech industry, you’ll find a lot of professionals on Twitter. On the other hand, LinkedIn is more geared toward business and professional networking.

Once you’ve identified the most relevant platforms, ensure your profile showcases your skills, experience, and accomplishments. Share industry news, insights, and valuable content to establish yourself as a thought leader in your field.

Engage with others by commenting on posts, sharing relevant content, and participating in discussions. Be authentic and respectful when interacting with others on social media. Doing so will attract like-minded professionals to your network and build relationships.

Digital Business Cards

Gone are the days of frantically searching your pockets for a crumpled business card. Thanks to digital business cards, networking has never been easier.

These nifty little cards are a great way to make new connections virtually. Imagine this: You’re attending a virtual networking event, meeting someone interested in what you do. Instead of awkwardly typing your email address into the chat, you can share your best digital business cards with a few clicks. It’s quick and professional and saves you the hassle of finding a printer and ordering physical cards.

Plus, digital business cards can be easily customized and updated to reflect your latest information and branding. You can add links to your social media profiles, portfolio, or website to give people a better sense of who you are and what you do.

So, the next time you’re networking virtually, consider adding a digital business card. You never know when it might come in handy!

Virtual Conferences And Events

Virtual conferences and events offer an exciting opportunity to break through isolation and connect with like-minded professionals worldwide. Whether you’re attending a webinar, a virtual trade show, or a full-blown conference, virtual events allow you to engage with experts in your industry and build your network.

To make the most of these events:

• Do your research and identify the sessions, speakers, and attendees that align with your interests and goals.  
• Participate actively by asking thoughtful questions, sharing insights, and engaging with other attendees.  
• Feel free to connect with people after the event to continue the conversation and explore new opportunities.  
•  Utilize top-notch interpretation tools: Overcome language barriers with cutting-edge simultaneous interpretation technology, ensuring a comprehensive understanding for every participant.

With virtual events, the possibilities for building meaningful connections are endless.

Online Communities

Looking to network while having fun? Joining online communities can be a great way to do just that. By participating in lively discussions, sharing your expertise, and answering questions, you can establish yourself as a valuable community member and connect with like-minded individuals.

But before you dive in, make sure to read the rules and guidelines carefully. No one likes a spammer! Instead, engage in discussions thoughtfully and add value to the conversation by sharing your relevant insights and experiences. And always remember to be respectful and follow the community guidelines when engaging with others.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is a powerful virtual networking tool that can help you stay connected with your professional network. Here are some quick tips for using it effectively:

1. Build and segment your email list. Create a list of contacts most relevant to your career or industry and segment them based on their interests and needs.
2. Personalize your emails. Address your contacts by name and tailor your message to their interests and needs. Use a conversational tone to make your emails feel more human and engaging.
3. Provide value. Share relevant and valuable information to help your contacts with their career or business goals. This could include industry news, tips, tricks, or insights from your experience.
4. Be consistent. Regularly send emails to your network to stay top of mind and build familiarity. However, don’t overdo it; respect your contacts’ time and attention.

By using email marketing to its full potential, you can maintain and grow your professional relationships in the virtual space.

Video Conferencing

Are you ready to take your virtual networking game to the next level? Video conferencing tools like Zoom and Skype can make it feel like you’re meeting someone face-to-face, even if you’re miles apart. So, grab your favorite beverage, put on your best smile, and get ready to connect with people worldwide.

Before the call, test your equipment to avoid any technical difficulties. And remember to dress to impress – even if it’s just from the waist up. Choose a quiet, well-lit location for the call and have a list of questions or topics ready to discuss. After the call, follow up with a thank-you note or email to show your appreciation and keep the relationship going.

Finding Your Niche: How To Choose the Right Virtual Networking Platform

The right platform is key to achieving your goals and building meaningful relationships. But with so many options, it’s easy to feel lost in the virtual sea. That’s why it’s important to:

• Identify your goals.  
• Assess your audience.  
• Research platforms.  
• Check for features.  
• Consider the user experience.  
• Look for active communities.  
• Try out multiple platforms.  
• Evaluate your results.   

Following these tips, you can find your niche and choose the right virtual networking platform that suits your needs and goals.

Conclusion on Virtual Networking

Virtual networking tools are essential for professionals looking to expand their networks and grow their businesses in today’s digital age. Professionals can build lasting relationships that benefit them personally and professionally by utilizing these tools. However, it’s important to approach these tools with an open mind and a willingness to engage with others. So don’t wait – start exploring these virtual networking tools today and see where they can take you!

The post A Simple Guide To Virtual Networking Tools appeared first on Small Business Coach.

Well, the tide is beginning to turn because companies are sending their staff back on the road again. However, because of some travel restrictions still going on, business traveling is a bit difficult to manage because of continuous uncertainties that arise. 

Don’t worry though, modern technology is beginning to do things better than we are doing them. And for that exact reason, we are turning to the best travel management tools that will further assist us in managing our travel bookings. 

Without wasting more time, let’s dive right in and find out the top 5 tools to use for business travel in 2023! 

What makes a great travel management tool? 

An excellent travel management tool makes your travel bookings much easier, ensures faster budget planning, and even has another plan when a specific method isn’t working for you. After careful considerations and research, we came up with five excellent business travel tools you can use in 2023. 

The top 5 tools you can use to manage business traveling in 2023 

1. TravelPerk

TravelPerk is one of the most effective business travel management tools you can use for ensuring a great business trip. The tool itself is designed to make corporate traveling faster and secure, along with a fairly smooth experience. 

TravelPerk has a large inventory, which allows employees and managers to book trips on their own, saving lots of time and energy. Additionally, it helps you ensure you are in line with its travel policies when booking business trips. 

Let’s not also forget that TravelPerk is great in assisting you with budgets and finances regarding traveling. Finance teams are provided with the necessary financial information regarding expenses to be made during business trips, reporting features that make business traveling more effortless than ever to manage. 

Travel Perk is a top-rated tool with a 4.6 out of 5-star rating on G2, with over 1,000 user reviews! Moreover, it even offers a free option when you use their tools, so you can get top-quality without having to pay for anything. However, when you choose to go with their premium plan, you will be paying $15 per trip and $25 per trip with their pro plan. 

Key features include:

• Automatic travel policies are set
• Access to a massive inventory of hotels, flights, and even rented cars
• Reporting metrics
• Tracking of expenses

2. Paramount Workplace 

Paramount workplace is a fully integrated business travel tool that simplifies the entire process of corporate traveling altogether and seeks to solve ongoing issues that arise. 

The travel management tool offers an expense and travel solution for all employees with their smart booking engine that sets up traveling based on your policy. The smart booking engine is able to integrate corporate travel policy, authorization requirements before traveling, negotiated airline, the best hotel & car rental offers, and more; all into one booking path that syncs all travel data in your expense report.  

In short, this becomes easy for the traveler because the smart booking engine will sync all digitally captured receipts linked with the expense report. Since there is OCR technology, it can quickly identify the required information associated with receipt processing. 

Let’s not forget that approval requests can be sent by email for instant approval. Also, you get many reliable insights regarding your expenses with assistance from reporting metrics. 

Key features include: 

• Automatic travel planning
• Automatic generation of the expense report 
• A quick insight into KPI’s, budgets, and metrics

Overall, Paramount Workplace offers a demo version to try out its travel management tool, but you will need to contact them on their website regarding prices. 

3. TravelBank

TravelBank is a centralized tool that allows every team member to book their trips in one place. 

With TravelBank, you can search, track, and book trips; which means you are giving your team members an all-in-one place for booking and paying. This is a massive benefit for them as they don’t have to do this separately. 

Regarding expense reports, users can screenshot their flight receipts or ground transport, where charges will be placed on the company’s card. 

There’s also one more exciting feature associated with TravelBank: travelers’ ability to reward through the platform. For example, a standard reward is usually a discount. In contrast, these discounts may financially benefit the company since it minimizes some of their overall expenses when sending out their team for business traveling. 

Key features include:

• Booking all trips into one 
• Flight receipt screenshots that are sent directly to the company’s card
• Financial discounts

Pricing with TravelBank begins at $8 per month with their basic plan, but you can also choose their custom plan, which will charge you based on usage. Although the custom plan is probably the best one to go with since it offers unlimited travel and expenses, costs are reduced by up to 30% compared to other plans. 

4. Flightslogic

Flightslogic provides a customizable hotel and flight booking engine that automates the business traveling procedure. Necessary data is bought together regarding travel expenses and allows travel managers to manage the traveling activities of the company’s employees effectively and quickly. 

Flightslogic helps in flight and hotel reservations, where it manages travel schedules of team members and ensures they have the necessary documents required for business trips. In short, the platform is excellent for setting up a customizable plan and allows small travel agencies to profit in their industry. 

Key features include: 

• A large inventory of hotels, car rentals, and flights across the globe 
• An uncomplicated travel schedule management along with hotel and flight reservations 
• A travel policy that meets requirements 

Pricing with Flightslogic varies, and here, you will need to contact them to find out what kind of price they will offer you. Although, whichever price you will be paying, the benefits will be worth paying for. 

5. TripActions 

TripActions is the complete business travel management tool you need. Overall, it delivers a personalized experience compared to the many other tools listed and provides you with all the necessary tools you need to manage your corporate traveling. TripActions has even been claimed to be trusted by over 5,000 companies, which they include on their website. 

You are provided with access to data that assists travel managers in finding the best offers in the market in order to control their travel expenses. TripActions uses machine learning to understand all of your booking preferences and recommend the necessary plans you should use to fulfill your choices. 

Moreover, you have both a desktop and mobile version which you can use. The tool is quite advanced in controlling your expenses and maintaining the quality of business trips. 

Key features include: 

• Machine learning
• Data-driven expense and travel management 
• Automatic travel policies are set 

Overall, the tool is easy to use and has enough smart features to simplify travel and expense management for the entire company. If you are thinking about saving lots of time, then TripActions might just be the right choice for you. 

TripActions doesn’t state any pricing on their website, but they do display the plans they offer and what you will get from them. In order to find out how much they charge, you would need to schedule a demo with one of their paid plans and find out on their website. 

Wrapping everything up on business travel

Well, that is about it for this article. We hope you have made up your mind about what may work for you and which business traveling tool best fits your needs. A business travel tool is precisely what helps your team members find the best deals for their accommodations and flights. 

Also, they are essential if you want to capture receipts and convert them to your expense reports which will reimburse costs for your team members. The bottom line is that you always have to find a business travel management tool that will be profitable for your business and help you save in the long run. Especially with the start of the pandemic, uncertainty is at its highest level.  

Take your time, go through each of the five travel management tools and see which is the most profitable for your business in the long run. All of them were carefully researched by our team and had great overall reviews by many users. Now, it is all up to you to see what better fits your business! 

The post Top 5 Tools to Manage Business Travel In 2023 appeared first on Small Business Coach.

Why did you get into business for yourself? Was it to be your own boss? Choose your own hours? Have more time with the family? Spend more time doing what you love? How do you manage your time? Chances are, you answered yes to all these questions.

These days, you probably wonder where the time went. Why you spent 12 hours at work and barely make a dent in your to-do list? We already know that time is a key resource for you and your business, but it’s also a key resource in your life. Harnessing and leveraging time is the only way to enjoy life, and have a profitable business at the same time.

A few years back I was working with a client who told me that he hadn’t had a date with his wife in years! He was running a million-dollar business with ten employees but he didn’t take any time off for himself. We were able to restructure the business that made him more profitable and he was able to get regular dates with his wife.

The Pareto Principle in Business

You may be familiar with the Pareto Principle; 80% of your results can be attributed to 20% of your efforts, while 20% of your results can be attributed to 80% of your efforts. As the leader of your business, you want to focus your efforts on the activities that yield the greatest results.

Most business owners carefully manage their financial and personnel resources, and pay due attention to their performance. Marketing plans and budgets are created, people are hired and fired. What most business owners don’t realize is that time – and the time of all employees – requires the same attention and diligent management.

Time will never manage itself.

Time is invaluable when you are running a business. That is why it is important to manage your time like money and profit through time management. Time will never manage itself. The decision to make a pro-active effort to manage your time must come from you. Once you have committed to taking ownership for your own time management, there are a host of tools available to you. But first, you must understand how much your time is actually worth, and where you are currently spending it.

What is Your Time Worth?

Ever wonder what your time is actually worth? Here’s a quick way to figure it out:

Target annual income A.

Working days in a year B. 235

Working hours in a day C. 7

Working hours in a year D. 1,645

A/D = YOUR HOURLY WORTH (before tax + expenses) E.

This is a very simple calculation intended to put your time in perspective. In reality, no one is productive for each of the 1,645 hours. Various studies have put actual productivity at anywhere between 25 minutes and four hours per day. Either way, there’s a lot of room for improvement.

How Many Days Do You Have Left on Earth?

Let’s look at it another way:

Your age A.

Days in a year B.

Days spent on earth to date (A x B) C.

Average life expectancy D. 70

Total projected days on earth (D x B) E.

Estimated days left (E – C) F.

This exercise isn’t intended to scare you, but bring your attention to the importance of choosing how you spend each hour you have available. It is a choice! By developing the skills required to manage your time, you will not only have a profitable business but rewarding and balanced life

Pro-Tip: Grab 30 minutes on my calendar to ask any questions you have about small business coaching. I’ve been a business coach (and business broker) for over 20 years. I also have a business coach of my own, so I know what successful coaching looks like on both sides of the table.
~ Alan Melton, Small Business Coach Associates

The Five Culprits of Time Theft

Chances are – if you’re like most people – you have no idea where your time goes. You’re likely frustrated by the fact that you can spend 10, 12, even 14 hours a day working, and not make a dent in your to-do list, or only bill half of those hours.

When we’re too busy and overloaded with work, we often switch into reactive mode. We can’t make it to the bottom of the pile and end up handling issues and making decisions at the last minute. One of the great benefits of choosing to become proactive in time management is that you can become proactive in all other areas of your business. When in a proactive mode, you can take steps to grow your business through networking, building programs, and establishing systems.

Before you investigate where your time goes, let’s take a look at the top five culprits of modern-day time theft:

1. Time Management and Your Email

Make profit through time management and managing your email. How many times a day do you check your email? Is Outlook or Mail constantly running on your desktop? Email – internal, external, personal and business – clogs up your day like no other communication channel. For many of us, it is possible to spend the entire day writing and responding to emails without even glancing at our inbox. The number of emails sent and received each day by the average person in 2007 was 147. Multiply that by an average of two minutes per message, and you have spent almost five hours on email in a single day.

2. Time Management and Your Mobile Phone

Cell phones have created convenience, security, and the luxury of telecommuting. PDAs and cell phones have also created a society that expects to be able to reach you at any moment or at least receive instant responses to their calls. Your cell phone or PDA not only robs you of your time during the day but also during the evenings and on weekends when you are not at work.

3. Time Management and Your Open Door Policy

If you make it easy for your staff and associates to interrupt you, they will. Too often, open-door policies are set up by human resource departments to create clear communication channels. Instead, they create a clog of employees lined up at your door seeking immediate answers to non-emergent issues.

4. Time Management in Meetings

You can profit through time management if we also manage our meetings well. How many times have you been to a meeting that was scheduled to be an hour, and ended up lasting three? How often do you attend unnecessary meetings? Or meetings that run off-topic? Meetings can be a huge source of wasted time – your valuable time that is why it is important to manage your time. In a senior management or ownership position, your day may consist of back-to-back meetings, leaving only your evening hours to complete the tasks that should have been done during the day.

5. Time Management: YOU!

Every person has daily habits that sabotage their ability to work productively and efficiently. Many entrepreneurs and business owners can’t separate business hours from leisure hours. Some get caught in a time warp while surfing the internet. Others – mainly overachievers – can become paralyzed by perfectionism or procrastination. Mainly we just don’t have the tools to schedule and structure our time in a way that fits with our working style.

Where Does Your Time Go?

So far we’ve seen that time is a resource that should be as carefully managed as cash, we’ve figured out what your time is worth, and looked at the top five culprits of time theft. You’ve committed to taking steps to become a better time manager. What now?

Personal Time Management Research Exercise

The next step is to take a good, (and honest!) look at how you spend your time. Once you understand your patterns and habits, you begin to implement the strategies in this chapter that will make you manage your time better.

Step One: Time Audit

Use the Time Log Worksheet at the back of this chapter to record how you spend your time for three working days in a row. Be honest, and be specific. Include time spent in transit, surfing the web, interacting with clients and colleagues, as well as how your time is spent at home in the evenings. The more information you can record, the easier it will be to analyze your time management skills in step two.

Step Two: Time Categorization

Once you have recorded your time for three days, sit down with all three sheets in front of you and identify the following using different colored markers or highlighters:

• Driving, public transportation or other travel
• Eating, including food preparation
• Personal Errands
• Exercise
• Watching TV
• Sleeping, including naps
• Using the computer, personal use only
• Being with family/friends
• Emailing, including checking, reading, and returning messages
• Talking on the phone, including checking and returning messages
• Internal meetings
• External meetings
• Administrative work
• Client work
• Non-client, non-administrative work

Step Three: Time Analysis

Now that you have identified how you have spent your time, go through the worksheets one more time and identify if you have spent enough, too much, or too little time on each main task.

Then, based on your observations, answer the following questions: Download the Template Here

1. What patterns do you notice about how you spend your time during the day? (i.e., When are you most productive? Least productive? Most or least interrupted?)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Write down the four highest priorities in your life right now. Does your timesheet reflect these priorities?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. If you had more time, what would you do?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. If you had less time, what wouldn’t you do?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Could you remove the items in question four and add the items in question three? Why or why not?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Is procrastination a problem for you? How much?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Strategies for Profitable Time Management

There are many ways to curb time theft and refine your time management ability for you to manage your time well. Through a solid understanding of how you currently spend – and waste – time, you can determine which strategies you need to implement to correct unproductive behavior.

Here are 17 ways you can turn less of your time into more money:

1. Set Clear Priorities

The foundation of time management is a clear understanding of what your time is best spent on. Once you accept that you can’t do everything, you need to decide what needs to be completed now, what can be completed later, and what someone else can complete in this way you can manage your time effectively. Each to-do list you create should be put through this filter, and reorganized so the highest priority items are on top, and the lowest priority items are less visible, or on the bottom.

Once you have established your priorities – which will also naturally reflect the priorities and goals of your business – stick to them. Just because someone else feels something is of a high priority doesn’t mean it holds the same status next to your other tasks.

Prioritization is also helpful in your personal life and leisure time. Your spare time is precious – so make sure are clear on how you would like to spend it.

2. Use Your Skills – Delegate Your Weaknesses

As a business owner, your day naturally consists of tasks you dislike doing. Some are essential – signing checks, reviewing financial statements, and other business maintenance – while others are simply not within your skill set.

If you are a strong public speaker but struggle with report writing – delegate to a copywriter or editor. If you own a retail store and have no experience in design – outsource your signage. These freelance professionals often cost half as much as you and take half as long to complete the task. It is a great idea, especially if you struggle with time management. Your time is saved for tasks that use and strengthen your skills effectively, your stress is managed, and ultimately a better product is produced. Delegating your weaknesses or tasks that can be delegated to your team is one of the best strategies for you to manage your time effectively.

3. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

As a small business owner, the only way you will ever get everything done is by delegating. Delegation is a vital skill that needs to be refined and practiced, and once mastered is the key to profitable time management.

Too often, owners and managers believe that it will be “faster” or “more efficient” to complete the task themselves than to train and monitor someone else. Other times, there are no internal resources to download assignments.

As a result, the following trends can be seen in many small companies:

• Owners and senior staff are stressed and overworked, while junior staff is underutilized and under capacity.
• Staff members are not given an opportunity to grow and develop in their roles and may perceive a lack of trust or confidence in their ability. The company loses good people.
• Owners and senior staff are always in a reactive state, instead of a visionary or proactive state.
• Delegation happens at the very last minute, and junior staff has little understanding of either the overall project or expectations for the task.

The easiest way to fix this problem is before it starts. Create a solid team of staff members around you who are well-trained and prepared to support the business. Attract and retain qualified and quality people who can be cross-trained and promoted within the company. Ensure that communication flows throughout the business, so everyone has the product and service knowledge to step in and assist when necessary.

4. Learn to Say “No”

It’s easy to fall into the habit of saying yes to everything. You are, after all the business owner, right? No one can complete these tasks as well as you, right? You’ll lose that customer if you don’t help them with their garage sale, right?

Wrong. The most successful business owners have a keen understanding of time management and delegate the remaining responsibilities to trusted others. It’s too easy to say yes to every request in the moment, and later feel overwhelmed when it’s added to your to-do list. You may not ruffle any feathers, but what toll does it take on your stress level? Your workload? Your time is valuable – so manage your time well and protect it!

Remember that if it is too challenging to say no immediately, you can always request some time to think about it. This way, you can evaluate your workload and realistically decide whether or not you can take on a new project. Then, stand by your decision, or assist in bringing in the necessary resources to get it done. 

5. Create (and keep!) a Strict Schedule

While multi-tasking is a desirable skill, it is also often a time thief. Attempting to do too many things at one time ensures that nothing gets done. As a business owner, you need to be able to focus and concentrate on essential projects without interruptions.

The only way to do this is to commit to a strict schedule. Once you understand your work style and concentration patterns, you can allocate periods of the day to specific tasks. This includes personal and leisure time – schedule it, and stick to it.

Doing a time management by creating a schedule time for list-creation + prioritization, email messages, telephone messages, internal meetings, client meetings, meeting preparation, “me-time”, family time, recreation + fitness, daily business tasks, and blocks for focused work.

Remember that there is a training period involved in beginning a new routine – for yourself and those around you. Use your voicemail, out-of-office email message, and a closed-door to begin to let people know when you will not be disturbed.

6. Make Decisions

The choice to not make a decision is a decision in itself. The most successful business owners have the ability to make good decisions quickly and efficiently and do not waste time deliberating over simple choices.

In leadership positions, often people are afraid of making the wrong decision or looking foolish if they make a mistake in front of junior staff. What they don’t realize, is that hesitating or avoiding decision-making impacts their leadership just as much or more than making the wrong decision. Not only can being indecisive be personally stressful, but it is also stressful for those around you whose tasks are waiting on your choices.

Remember, you must make the best decision with the information you have, in the time frame you have to make the decision. No one expects you to be a fortune teller – be decisive, make some mistakes, and learn from them.

7. Manage Telephone Interruptions

This is a huge source of time theft that can easily be managed and avoided. If you are available to take phone calls at any time of day, you are setting yourself up to take work home in the evenings. The phone will always ring when you are focused on an important task, and this is something that can easily be avoided.

Figure out when you are most productive. Is it in the morning or the afternoon? Before, during, or after lunch? Once you have identified this time period, set your phone on “do not disturb” or have your calls directed to voicemail. If you do not have a receptionist, a variety of automatic answering systems are available for a nominal fee. To structure your phone time further, let callers know on your voicemail what specific time of day is best to reach you via phone. Then, set that time aside to receive and return phone calls.

8. Keep Your Work Environment Organized

Have you ever tried to make dinner in a messy kitchen? More of your time is spent looking for (and cleaning) dishes and tools than actually spent cooking the meal.

The same goes for your work environment. If your desk and office is in a constant state of chaos, then your mind will be too. In fact, some studies have revealed that the average senior business leader spends nearly four weeks each year navigating through messy or cluttered desks, looking for lost information. Does that sound like a productive time for you?

Once you make the initial clean sweep, it’s easy to maintain order in the chaos:

• Tidy your desk at the beginning and end of each day. Attach pertinent documents to your to-do list, or have clear and organized folders for loose papers.
• Organize your supplies drawer so you have easy access to stationery like pens, post-it notes, staplers, and highlighters. Every minute counts!
• Only have the documents and files you are working on, on your desk. The rest should be neatly filed on a side table for later retrieval.
• Keep personal items (like photos or memorabilia) out of your primary line of vision. These can be distracting and encourage daydreaming.

As for your office or store, there are many ways to make its layout more conducive to effective time management. Try:

• Minimizing the distance between the reception desk and electronics like photocopies and fax machines.
• Keep a clear line of sight between your office and the most productive area of your business, so you are aware of what is happening amongst your staff.
• Organize shelves and filing cabinets so files are not only easily accessed, but out of sight when not being used. Consider putting sliding doors or cabinets in storage areas, and remember that the floor is not a storage cabinet.

9. Keep Your Filing System Organized

If your data isn’t organized properly, you will waste hundreds of hours searching for documents you need on a regular basis. This includes both electronic and hard copy files; they need to be organized and up-to-date.

Customer databases and inquiry records are worth their weight in gold. You can’t afford to get behind when updating this information, or poorly store it for later retrieval. There are many easy to use software programs that will manage and organize customer databases for you; it doesn’t need to be a time consuming or tedious exercise.

A simple way to manage information is to keep it in short, medium, and long term files for both hard and electronic copies. Create shortcuts on your desktop for folders or files you constantly access. Have short-term files available on your desk, medium-term files available within an arm’s reach, and long-term files stored in cabinets.

10. Clearly Communicate – Never Assume

One of the biggest issues for time management in business – and likely the world – is miscommunication. This is a dangerous issue that can cripple any business, including yours. Establishing and enforcing clear policies on things like accurate note-taking, task assignments, and phone messages will ensure your staff understands the importance of clear and accurate communication.

The easiest habit to start to curb miscommunication is simple: write everything down. Carry a notepad, and jot down key points, figures, agreements, and deadlines. Don’t assume you’ll remember later – you have at least a hundred other things to remember.

Some other simple strategies are:

• Return all communication promptly, including email, letters, faxes and phone calls
• Repeat back phone messages, phone numbers, and other figures to confirm you recorded the information correctly.
• Record appointments in your PDA or agenda the moment you make them. Otherwise, you will forget.
• Double-check and confirm everything – addresses, phone numbers, meeting locations and times.
• Maintain accurate customer contact logs with dates, times, and phone numbers.
• Post checklists in your store or office for routine operations procedures.
• Announce any changes to the policies and procedures manual immediately.

11. Stop Duplicating Efforts

This is a key element of time management that is closely related to effective communication. Studies have continually shown that many businesses often duplicate and triplicate efforts that need only be completed once.

When you have clear systems and procedures in place, your staff will not need to “reinvent the wheel” each time the task needs to be completed. Meeting minutes and individual task assignments will ensure everyone is on the same page and understands their personal responsibilities.

Simple examples of this include re-reading your to-do list each hour to determine what the next important item is. If your list is already structured by priority, this is a needless task. If two staff members are working on similar projects, but unaware of the other, the work will not only be inconsistent, but the efforts will be duplicated. These are easy problems to fix, once they have been identified and communicated.

12. Say Goodbye to Procrastination + Perfectionism

If you want to manage your time effectively, then, procrastination is something you need to get rid of. We all face procastination at one time or another – and likely have since our school days. However, given the pace that the world operates at today, you will only fall behind your competitor if you allow procrastination to rule your day. So how you do avoid it? It’s simple. Stop, and just get started, no matter how boring, tedious, or painful the project may be. Reward yourself by crossing each step off your to-do list.

Many small business owners also fall victim to perfectionism, which can be paralyzing. The fear that there isn’t enough time or resources to “get it perfect” will sometimes stop you dead in your tracks. Perfectionism can also hinder your ability to delegate and say no to tasks you believe no one else can complete “better”. Do the best you can with the time and resources you have – and just get started.

13. Avoid Needless, Impromptu + Unstructured Meetings

This may seem like a time theft issue that is out of your control, but it’s not. You are in control of your own time and able to manage your time, and through strict scheduling can establish a structure for internal and external meetings that everyone around you can work within.

Minimize impromptu internal meetings by letting your staff know when you’re available for a “quick chat” and when you are not. If it is important, ask them to schedule a time to meet with you that works with both of your schedules. This not only saves you time, but encourages staff to find solutions to their own issues, and only approach you with more urgent or challenging matters.

You can’t avoid having meetings, but you can avoid having unstructured meetings. Ask for or create an agenda for each meeting you attend, with a clear objective and an amount of time allocated to each item. This will keep your meetings focused and on task. If a meeting does run late, give yourself a reasonable buffer, and politely leave for your next appointment. You can always follow up with a colleague to catch-up on the pertinent items you may have missed.

14. Establish Clear Policies + Procedures

A clear policy and procedures manual is like a marketing or business plan – it takes time to create, but ultimately saves everyone in your company time, money, and effort. A step-by-step guide to “the way we do things here” is an invaluable resource for your existing and new staff, and provides clear expectations for how you like things done.

Too many businesses make up policies and procedures on the fly – creating dangerous scenarios where mistakes are made and expectations are not clear. Some items that should be included in a comprehensive policy and procedures manual include:

• Recruitment
• Customer relations
• Customer inquiries
• Customer complaints
• Returns
• Exchanges
• Late Payments
• Salary structure
• Bonus structure
• Employee review
• Theft
• Harassment

15. Keep the Right Set of Tools

The equipment your business needs to operate (and grow!) effectively should always be on hand, or easily contracted out. This is specific to each company, and closely related to costs – including the cost of your time.

Whether you are a high-tech business or local retailer, knowledge of the latest advancements in technology will increase your efficiency. It will help you stay on top of the competitor, maintain your position as an expert, and perhaps provide an easier way of getting things done.

Always ask yourself if these purchases are essential to your business –could you perhaps make these purchases from a second-hand dealer to minimize cost? Is it more cost-effective to outsource or sub-contract the tasks to someone with access to this equipment, or to buy the equipment yourself?

If your business relies on tools and technology for daily tasks (such as the trade profession) then obtaining the best quality you can afford is crucial.

16. Maintain Your Equipment

This may seem obvious, but you’ll understand the importance of your network server has ever crashed, or point of sale system has malfunctioned. Your business can be slowed to a stand-still if your equipment is not in good working order. Of course, there are instances that can’t be predicted, but regular maintenance of your essential equipment will reduce these occurrences and help to anticipate when old equipment needs to be repaired or replaced.

Personal Time Management Strategy

Choose one from the top five tips that you think will help you the most, given your personal time management study. This time management study will help you finish all your important tasks and appointments on time.  Write them below, with three corresponding actions that you will start tomorrow.  For example, if you are going to set a strict schedule, three actions might be to establish the schedule, communicate it to your staff, and re-record your voicemail message. Download the Template Here

1.

a._______________________________________________________
b._______________________________________________________
c._______________________________________________________

2.

a._______________________________________________________
b._______________________________________________________
c._______________________________________________________

3.

a._______________________________________________________
b._______________________________________________________
c._______________________________________________________

4.

a._______________________________________________________
b._______________________________________________________
c._______________________________________________________

5.

a._______________________________________________________
b._______________________________________________________
c._______________________________________________________

Timesheet | Day Three Download the Template Here 

Daily To-Do List | Business Download the Template Here

Weekly To-Do List | Personal (Family, Leisure, etc.) Download the Template Here

There you have it, then. I hope this post will help you manage your time so you can attain the results you were hoping for.

Do you need help taking action on all this information? Then book a free call with one of our small business coaches today.

The post Manage Time Like Money and Profit Through Time Management appeared first on Small Business Coach.

But what exactly is burnout and what can we do to prevent it? It can be hard to separate burnout from the normal stresses that come with working life, making it all the more important to cultivate a deeper understanding of this problem.

What is Burnout?

Once deemed to be simply a symptom of stress or other underlying conditions such as depression, burnout is now classed as a syndrome by the World Health Organization (WHO). It occurs as a result of sustained workplace stress that has not been dealt with effectively and can have a negative toll on a person’s mental, emotional, and physical health.

Burnout is different from ordinary workplace stress in that it occurs over a long period of time. Rather than being a proportionate response to tight deadlines, burnout causes lasting feelings of dread, hopelessness, irritability, and exhaustion. Other signs of burnout include:

•       Isolating yourself from friends, family members, or colleagues and feeling unable to ask for help or accept support.
•       Escapist behaviors that may include excessive daydreaming or binge-watching television. Over time, these behaviors may develop into drug or alcohol dependencies.
•       Excessive tiredness that occurs even after having enough sleep.

While burnout is classed separately from depression and anxiety, it can lead to these more serious mental health problems if left untreated.

Burnout and Taxes

It’s been reported that 19% of small business owners find filing their tax return one of the most stressful times of year. So, if you’re self-employed or run a start-up, you need to keep on top of your finances to avoid stress building up around tax time. You can significantly reduce the amount of stress you experience when submitting your tax return by using accounting software each month. If you have employees to worry about as well, using a payroll end of year checklist well in advance of any deadlines can help you to feel more in control.

However, if you are suffering from burnout that’s related to a mental illness, HMRC may be able to provide support. In line with the Equality Act, HMRC can put individuals and business owners struggling with mental health in contact with a tax adviser in the Extra Support Team, or refer them to a group such as TaxAid.

To access this support, you will need evidence of your mental illness, which typically involves a note from a doctor or licensed psychologist. While HMRC won’t overlook any tax debt you might have completely, they will be more understanding and may provide you with more time to pay. It’s likely that they will suspend enforcement action for a period of time, especially if it’s proven to be harmful to your mental health, but tax will only be remitted if your mental illness will prevent you from ever returning to work.

How to Avoid Burnout

Now that we understand that burnout is more serious than temporary stress or lethargy, it’s important to put our energy into preventing it from occurring in the first place. Like many mental health conditions, avoiding burnout isn’t always possible, but there are many steps you can take to give yourself the best chance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Stay Organized and Set Boundaries

Stress can accumulate for many reasons, but one of the most common is poor time management and a lack of boundaries. There are times in everyone’s life when they have to work extra hours to meet a deadline, but to avoid this becoming a regular occurrence it’s important to plan your work in advance.

However, there are times when the tasks on your to-do list simply aren’t possible to squeeze into a seven-day week. In these instances, you need to set boundaries with your clients, co-workers or superiors. Agreeing to do everything that everyone is asking of you at the expense of your own mental wellbeing will eventually lead to burnout. Be firm and clear when explaining your availability and capacity for work.

Find Purpose

Burnout can occur in any job, but it’s much less likely to occur when you’re passionate about what you do. Finding a purpose in your current role, or transitioning to a job more aligned with your values, has the power to transform your response to stress for the better.

Think carefully about the reasons why you originally chose the profession you’re in and whether there is anything better suited to your needs out there. Finding a job with purpose could involve working for a charity or non-profit, a company that gives back to the community, or even starting your own business.

Unfortunately, the reality is that not everyone can afford to change jobs or switch to a sector that’s better aligned with their interests, especially if they have a family to support. However, the good news is that it’s possible to find purpose in a hobby, side hustle, or voluntary pursuit as well. Finding a purpose outside of work can do just as much for preventing burnout as changing your job itself. This is because you will still be using your time to contribute meaningfully to the world and feel more fulfilled overall.

Manage Stress in a Healthy Way

Burnout is essentially the result of sustained, poorly-managed stress, making stress management a key part of maintaining your mental health. Managing stress looks different for everyone, but some of the key strategies you could try include:

•       Regular exercise whether that’s joining a yoga class, going to the gym, or having a walk at lunchtime.
•       Being more mindful and present rather than spiraling into thoughts about the future. This could be through meditation or an activity like coloring or gardening.
•       Spending time with loved ones and talking about any problems you need help with.
•       Maintaining a sleep schedule and before-bed routine.

Take Breaks

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to manage your stress, you need to take a break. If you’ve had a particularly difficult month at work, you could benefit from having a week off to go on holiday or reset. 

However, it’s important to build breaks into your daily routine as well. Moving away from your computer, getting some fresh air, and stretching your legs should all be a part of your working day. And, if it’s possible, try to switch off from work completely in the evenings. There should always be a portion of your day where you feel like you can let go of responsibilities and unwind, so if your job requires you to be constantly on call, you may want to reconsider the amount and the type of work you’re taking on.

Burnout and the Future of Work

Cited as one of the reasons for the recent great resignation, burnout seems to be taking a toll on the world’s workforce more than ever before. But does this mean that it’s here to stay? 

Burnout always has and likely always will be an issue that thousands of workers have to contend with, but that doesn’t mean it has to become a widespread problem. With the right education and attitude, employers and employees alike can work together to promote a better sense of well-being in the office, whether in-person or virtual.

About the Author

Aislinn Carter is a freelance writer and small business owner living in Hallandale, Florida. She has extensive experience in writing across a number of different verticals, with a specialism for business management and professional development-related content.

The post What is Burnout and How Can I Avoid it? appeared first on Small Business Coach.

For many companies, this means deploying manufacturing workflow software and hardware that helps employees gather and act on data so that the entire set up is a few clicks automated.

But what does it mean for your manufacturing workflows?

In this post, we’ll look at why and how you should digitize workflows, starting with a brief definition of what a workflow is. We’ll discuss some of the key benefits of digitizing your manufacturing workflows, plus a few things to keep in mind as you begin to execute on this important project. 

Why digitize workflows?

There are a number of reasons why manufacturers should digitize their workflows. First, it will help them increase productivity, efficiency, visibility and collaboration among the employees. Secondly, it will reduce errors in the workplace which can lead to increased costs for the company in terms of time spent on fixing those errors. 

It also helps increase employee engagement and satisfaction leading to higher retention rates among your workforce. This means that there will be more experienced people working at your company because they’ve stayed longer than they would have without digitizing their processes! 

Which areas of workflow should be digitized? 

One of the hottest topics in business is the rise of robotics and automation. In fact, some predict that in as soon as ten years, more than one-third of today’s jobs will be performed by robots and other automated technology. 

But which areas should be digitized that can make your workflow fully automated? Here they are: 

• Accounting and finance for payment processing. The company automatically recognizes transactions and routes them to appropriate accounts payable departments. 
• data-contrast=”auto”>Employee onboarding. Efficiently register new employees from any web-enabled device, including smartwatches and home devices. The platform captures employee data into a central database where it is accessible across the organization in real-time. 

• Customer service claims processing. Integrated intelligence curates internal services and external vendors to provide a single point of contact for clients.  

Digital workflows can eliminate mundane, repetitive tasks by securely automating workflows and business processes. It reduces errors, saves time and money, ensures employee compliance, and provides real-time visibility into daily operations.  

If you are thinking of expanding your business among competitors, a digitized workflow offers solutions that allow you to expand your workforce or reduce staff while increasing productivity and accuracy. 

How do you actually digitize workflows? 

1) Set goals and requirements

The first step is to set goals before digitizing manufacturing workflows and implement technologies to areas where improvement is immediately needed.  

A goal is what you are trying to achieve with digitized manufacturing workflows. It may be to achieve better efficiency, cost savings, improved quality and more customer loyalty. Goals should be measurable and specific enough so that there’s an expectation that they can be achieved in a reasonable timeframe. 

2) Identify the stakeholders

The next step is to identify the stakeholders. Stakeholders usually include product managers, engineers, IT staff and business analysts. You should also consider other people who are involved in the manufacturing process, such as customers or consumers. 

For each stakeholder you identified in your first step (the primary one being ‘yourself’), you need to answer the following questions: 

• Who are they? 
• What is their role? 
• What are their responsibilities? 
• What are their goals and requirements? 

3) Create a holistic plan

In addition to the technical aspects of implementing different systems in a way that works for your business needs, it’s also important to understand their business processes as well as how they fit together with one another.  

You want integration between these systems so you can see all of your data in one place instead of having multiple disconnected sets of information stored separately—which means that you may need some assistance from an experienced consultant or partner when building out this part of your strategy. 

4) Look for the right platform and tools

Aside from looking into the right automation tool, you should also consider the platform that is going to serve as your foundation. This is where you will store all of your workflows, robots, and other resources. You need to choose a system that has good scalability and flexibility so it can grow with your business. 

The right platform should have features like: 

• A robust list of available APIs for third-party integration with other systems. 
• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop user interface (UI); and 
• Data visualization tools such as dashboards or charts that provide valuable insights from machine learning data. 

How can a software or tool digitize workflows?

The technology is still new and under development, so it’s important to try it out as soon as possible 

There are multiple ways to go about implementing the technical solution, and there’s tons of valuable information and expert opinions on the tech being developed. 

You could benefit from digitizing your own manufacturing workflows since there’s a chance you’d be able to increase revenue, reduce costs, improve client relations, cut waiting time for clients, and more. 

There are manufacturing workflow transformation tools and platforms available for you to digitize your manufacturing workflows. These tools can help you digitize your manufacturing workflows without coding or software. 

These tools and platforms can help you digitize your manufacturing workflows without great efforts. 

Conclusion

The promise of digital transformation calls for a new way of thinking. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the manufacturing industry, where the old ways are rapidly fading into obsolescence. But as companies embrace digital transformation, they will find that their businesses can be healthier and more vital than ever before.

Overall, the benefits of a digital manufacturing process cannot be overstated. Companies that go digital for their manufacturing activities are more likely to meet their production needs and improve customer service, while reducing costs and increasing profits.

The post Why and How Should You Digitize Workflows? appeared first on Small Business Coach.

With the best business coaching programs, you can grow. However this challenging economy has taken a toll on most entrepreneurs; and owner burnout is common. Many business owners we talk with have a limited vision of where they are going and how they are going to get to where they need to be. They may have started out with some positive direction, but they have encountered obstacles to their success. The obstacles can range from massive debt or poor cash flow to poor sales, to working too many hours and missing out on important family events, to new competition, to bad employees or losing good employees. Frequently these obstacles make it “hard to see the forest because of the trees.”

There is one simple solution to owner burnout: business planning.

There is one simple solution: planning. An effective plan can transform your life in less than seven days. We use this with our best business coaching programs. Now is the time of year to make your plans for your business. Do you have a written business plan? If not, you should get one! Maybe you just need to update your existing plan. You have heard the familiar saying, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” An effective plan can transform your life from despair to hope, from burnout to passion, from bondage to freedom. I don’t make these claims lightly. I see the results of effective planning with clients every week, and they are life-changing.

Business Planning is Like Taking a Road Trip

Think about going on a road trip. You need two pieces of information: Your present address and the address you are traveling to. Once you have that information, you can enter the addresses into Mapquest or GPS and the tool will guide you in the most effective way to your destination. There are a lot of wrong turns and wrong roads that you will avoid by knowing your starting and ending address.

Two things to Know: Where You Are and Where You’re Going

In the same way, with planning you need two similar pieces of information: your present business “address,” your location (in terms of business value, revenue, profits, cash flow, customer satisfaction, etc), and you also need to know the “address” you want your business to travel to (business value, revenues, profits, etc). Once you have determined these two pieces of information, you will avoid a lot of wrong decisions and wasted time traveling down the wrong business roads.

Rich Benefits Achieved by Effective Business Planning

There are a number of benefits you will enjoy by doing effective planning. Since we have owned a number of businesses, and since as coaches we work on many more businesses, we know the solutions to “hidden obstacles.” We help clients remove the obstacles and free them to move forward with their vision. We begin by helping them get crystal clear about where they want to go personally, and then through their business. We teach clients how to effectively plan without our involvement in the future. The end result is that our clients feel like a heavy burden has been lifted off them! They have hope. If you do your planning correctly you will be renewed, inspired and energized.

The Magnetic Force of a Written Business Plan

Words are powerful. As you write down your plan it is similar to a magnet; your plan begins to attract you to your desired destination. The practice of writing down your plans will help to establish your commitment to your own goals. This is like having a contract with yourself. There is built-in accountability, especially if you will share your plan with others. The more people you share your plan with, the better!

Important Elements of a Good Business Plan

The most important element of your plan is what you want personally. Your business should be the vehicle by which you achieve your personal goals. What do you want your business to look like in five years? Your business should reflect your personality, your values, and your strengths. Secondly, you should include in your plan how you want to make the world a better place. What underprivileged people groups are you passionate about? Starving children? Abused women? Make sure you include your passion in your plan. All these things are included in your Values, Vision, and Mission. Finally, you should break down your plan into smaller “bite-size” chunks, and complete some actions each day.

The Incredible Power of a Shared Business Plan

You have heard the wise saying that “knowledge is power.” To achieve your plan, you want to include as many people as possible who can help you get to where you want to go. Include your employees in your planning and share your knowledge with them. Help them to see how they will benefit by achieving your goals. Give them the power to help you succeed. Then your employees will become part of the solution. They will help you remove obstacles; your burden will become lighter. Also share your plan with your customers, your vendors, and any other stakeholders. Every time you share your plan, your audience will become energized, but most importantly, YOU will become energized. Share your plan again and again!

Conclusion

As you include these elements in your business plan, you will be amazed at the almost miraculous change that happens in you, your family and your employees.

We have found that with our best business coaching programs, planning can be life-changing. The sooner you begin, the sooner you can enjoy the tremendous benefits.

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