Get Ahead Before Summer: Save Time With These Strategies Today

The summer months are approaching fast! Depending on your business and industry, summer could bring on a slowdown or uptick in business. It might have you working with a smaller team as your employees take time off. For most entrepreneurs, it will have you itching to take that well-earned summer vacation. All of these scenarios mean that it’s smart for small business owners to prepare for summer ahead of time.

Implementing time-saving strategies can help you now, during the summer months, and in the long run. By making your work more efficient and your schedule more streamlined, you’ll be prepared to weather the upcoming seasonal changes in your business. It might even give you enough peace of mind to engage in self-care and actually take that break you’ve been dreaming about. Try these techniques to save time and run your business more effectively—no matter the season.

GET YOUR DAY-TO-DAY SCHEDULE UNDER CONTROL

One of the best time-saving strategies starts with your daily routine. Many small business owners end up bouncing around from task to task all day as things come up in their business that seemingly need to be addressed immediately. Especially for solopreneurs, it can be difficult to have a standard schedule every day when there are constant fires to put out or new concerns that need your attention. However, this frenetic style of work can seriously impact your work-life balance, efficiency, and ability to attend to must-do tasks.

The first step to getting a handle on your schedule is to prioritize your tasks. Start by identifying your most important and urgent tasks each day. Come up with a schedule the night before each work day and make sure to focus on your priorities first. Consider using a planner or a calendar to keep track of your schedule and set reminders for important deadlines or appointments. Another strategy is to delegate tasks to other team members or contractors—like your Virtual Assistant. This allows you to focus on the activities that only you can do.

Additionally, it can be helpful to implement time management strategies that fit your work style. For example, with time-blocking, you set specific times for tasks such as video meetings or checking email, rather than being constantly interrupted by these activities throughout the day. You can also try the Pomodoro technique to reduce distractions and stay focused. By taking control of your schedule, you can become more productive and effective in managing your small business.

ORGANIZE YOUR BUSINESS

It can’t be overstated how much organization impacts efficiency and productivity. From your email inbox to your schedule to your files, the more organized you are, the easier your work becomes. You save minutes and hours each time you avoid searching endlessly for a particular document, email, or bit of information. Pro Tip: Your Virtual Assistant can help you get—and stay—organized so you don’t have to!

Organizing your business processes also supports efficiency and saves time. Try taking a big-picture view of your processes to identify where bottlenecks or slowdowns occur. It might also help to ask your team what areas of their jobs slow them down the most each day. This will give you a pretty good idea of areas that might need streamlining to save time. Consider outsourcing your bottlenecks or implementing more efficient systems.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DIGITAL TOOLS AND AUTOMATE

For each and every time suck in your business, you are likely to find a digital tool that will make that process easier. Project managers like Asana or Monday.com can streamline the process of assigning work to your team with reminders and due dates. They also help you keep all the relevant information for a specific project in one place. Use platforms like Google Calendar or Calendly to organize your day and ease meeting scheduling.

Automating tasks that you or your team would normally do by hand can also save time during your day. Consider using software or tools to automate tasks like invoicing, payroll, and social media scheduling. Not only will this save you a significant amount of time, but it will also reduce the risk of errors. Automate tasks that must be done in your business but don’t require a human touch.

COLLABORATE TO EASE YOUR WORKLOAD

Collaborating is a powerful way for small businesses to save time and increase productivity. When you collaborate with team members or outside partners, you can share the workload and leverage each other’s strengths and expertise. For example, if you have a project that requires specialized skills, you can bring in a team member or contractor who has those skills, rather than trying to do everything yourself.

Collaboration can also help to speed up decision-making and problem-solving by getting input and feedback from others. Working together also fosters a sense of community and shared purpose among your team. This boost in morale leads to better collaboration overall and better outcomes. By embracing collaboration and leveraging the strengths of your team, you can save time and achieve more as a small business.

SAVE TIME WITH A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

What better way to save time than to delegate tasks to someone else? We couldn’t finish this list without mentioning one of the best time-saving strategies out there—hiring a Virtual Assistant. They take tedious, time-consuming tasks off your plate like email and schedule management. While they manage these areas—which they are better suited to handle, anyway—you are free to put your effort toward the activities that will grow your business. Or, dare we say it, take that summer vacation!

Virtual Assistants get up and running in your business fast. Get in touch today, and before that summer sun even begins to shine, they will be relieving your stress and freeing up your schedule.

Find out more about how a Virtual Assistant can help your business by scheduling a free consultation.