Whether you’re presently working solo, or you’ve built up a small team, available work hours may still be limited. Because of this, it’s necessary to apply brutal efficiency to how you (and others) work to maximise what you can get done in a day. Otherwise, you simply won’t be able to cope as the business grows.
Here are 5 tips to run a small business either alone or with a few employees while remaining effective.
1. Use the Right Software for Your Business
The right software can make your business hum and a lack of it creates an uphill struggle.
In some situations, a solution that serves the needs of many types of businesses works fine. Office 365 or Google’s suite of apps like Sheets and others are fine for everyday tasks.
However, when you run a business with specific needs, then it’s optimal to use software designed for it. Look for software that is bespoke for your niche. For example, if you run a dance studio, the software from studiolabsoftware.com can help you add new members, schedule classes, set reminders, and more.
By using appropriate software for your business, it can cut out wasted time trying to use something unsuitable that slows your progress.
2. Reduce Distractions of All Kinds
When you have a fixed number of hours to get work performed, every distraction reduces the time remaining to complete it.
For instance, a smartphone that keeps alerting you to notifications about personal messages that you’ve received gets in the way. While a friend might be sharing gossip, it’s not an important thing for you right at that moment. It’s best to inform them about your working times and that you’ll reply to messages later. Ultimately, if it’s something truly urgent, they’ll call you.
Similarly, reduce desktop notifications, YouTube pop-ups, and everything else that acts as a distraction. You’ll be glad you did.
3. Plan Your Meals
When you’re too busy, the eating habits tend to suffer.
Plan your meals for the day or the week before the business day or week gets going. Avoid having unhealthy snacks within easy reach because when in a time crunch, that’s what you’ll reach for.
Plan to eat something lighter for breakfast and avoid overeating at lunch because it can make you feel sluggish and lose productivity in the afternoons.
4. Keep the Money on Track
Know what you need to bring in to stay in profit and what your absolute breakeven is.
It doesn’t serve you well to be vague about your financial numbers for a small business. There usually isn’t enough slack to catch up should you fall behind.
Plan to set aside monies to handle sales declines, reduced bookings, or seasonality in the business. If it’s your first year and you’re unsure about seasonality, use Google Trends to look for relevant terms to see whether people search for them less in certain months – you’ll probably discover that will be reflected in your business too.
By focusing on being more efficient with your time and processes, it’s possible to increase what you get done. Then there’s no need to work overtime either.
Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash
