5 Secrets Of Effective Time Management For Small Businesses

Manning a modest ship doesn’t mean your schedule is any easier compared to some of the bigger businesses out there. No – in today’s world, time is a slippery resource, one that we have to manage with real care and attention. There’s just so much to do, and a lot of disparate projects to work on; that’s why time management is crucial to your success and growth.

The secrets of priming your attitude, processes and digital toolkit for this fast-paced age aren’t too hard to uncover. We’ve done the work for you, with these five easy ways you can improve your timekeeping game for the benefit of your business.

1. Manage expectations

It’s easy to put pressure on ourselves when we make promises to people, such as when we offer a guaranteed turnaround for a client, or set unrealistic deadlines. However, it’s vital to factor in a little wiggle room if you want to avoid stress, and potentially, disappointment.

Managing expectations and allowing breathing space should also mean a better standard of work; you will have time to look at a project with fresh eyes before you send it off. Employing a strict one or two-day gap between completing and sending work for approval works well - you may also spot mistakes that escaped your attention first time round.

2. Ensure everyone’s tracking their hours

Having a constant reminder of what you’ve put into a task throughout each week will clarify just how valuable it is to you. If one of your employees or freelancers is sinking too much time into one project, then you might want to charge more for that workload, or break up that person’s schedule.

There are plenty of online time-trackers to gauge where your human resources are going. They’ll tot up how long each client has taken up over a given period.

3. Get a flexible, cross-platform sharing tool

Files, suggestions and feedback have to circulate smoothly around your team. Without a constant, stable influx of information and data, everyone will be more than a little confused as to whether something is on the right track, wasting time asking questions.

Software like Schedule It can help to streamline the distribution of tasks to your workforce as well as holding all the accompanying notes on a single, accessible platform. It works equally well on mobile and desk-bound devices, so no one’s out of the loop – saving you time, effort and admin on your resource management.

4. Plan well in advance

Your business calendar should be updated straight away. Don’t rely on your memory; you’ll double-book eventually, which can have a huge impact on your productivity, planning and business relationship. Again, use Schedule It to build an outline for the weeks ahead. Choose who sees it, and input whatever information is necessary so people know exactly what you (and they) should be doing. You’ll also get reminders that an event is due to begin. You’ll never double book or miss an important meeting again!

5. Set a precedent

Now, it’s worth stating here that leading by example for any industry under the sun – is going to crystallise your time management strategy.

Simple things like ensuring that you always get to work promptly, you’re never late for a meeting, and you return strictly to the office after the lunch hour is up will help to set the right time management culture. The more that employees can see you’re serious about your own timekeeping, the more likely they are to follow suit.

Our business goals rely on us making the most of what we have. Don’t let time elude you, when you should be mastering it in pursuit of your business goals. Take a look at the features of Schedule It to see how we can boost your efficiency, awareness and resource allocation today!