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Running a small business comes with as many challenges as operating a large-scale enterprise. According to stats on Nationalbiz, 38% of small business owners credit their success to self-discipline. Indeed, it is clear that discipline and productivity are inevitable requirements for success.
However, being productive is a challenge most small business owners face. I know this firsthand because I have also run many small businesses in the past and to date. Moreover, for remote businesses, learning how to boost productivity when working with a geographically scattered team is another hurdle.
What this guide will teach you is how to choose the right tools – traditional or modern – that can help you stay productive in your business. You’ll also learn the proper habits and mindset shift that can genuinely make you a potential Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, or Elon Musk.
Below are some actionable productivity-boosting tips that will keep your small business on the increase and help you achieve more goals within the same amount of time you use to achieve fewer goals.
1. Use Planning and Productivity Tools that Work for You
Being productive is not rocket science, and you don’t have to be like every other person. Find what works for you and stay with it. For example, if planning your to-do list with paper and pen helps you to be more productive than using modern, sophisticated software, you should adopt that method.
Some small business owners mistake trying to be in sync with big establishments, which isn’t wrong. However, being productive should be a priority for your business more than being seen as an SMB that’s also in vogue.
Another thing to watch out for in your small business is the kind of tools you use. Some tools are ideal for large enterprises than for solo businesses. It will be a waste of time and resources to opt for enterprise-fashioned tools when you should opt for lesser tools that also work for your business size.
No matter how disciplined you are as a small business owner, using productivity apps will help you achieve more within a shorter time. If you are managing a remote team, use time tracking apps and other remote work tools that show you how to monitor remote employees effectively.
2. Set Priorities Right
An article about time management on Harvard Business Review reported that it’s crucial to define your most important tasks. You need to create more time than you need to handle the vital assignments, which have the most significant impact on you and your business.
This principle is simple, yet it’s a primary reason why so many businesses fall short of their goals and objectives. Having a well-defined list of goals that you wish to accomplish in your business is vital.
However, it is even more important to arrange your to-do list in order of priority. Arranging your list in order of priority helps you to spend more time doing what’s most important for you and your business, and hence, boosts your productivity.
3. Parkinson’s Law Is Ever True
Parkinson’s law can be summarized thus: “the amount of time set to do a task is the amount of time it takes to complete the task.” Simply put, if you plan to complete a project in four hours, it will take four hours. On the other hand, if you plan to achieve the same job in three hours, you’ll likely accomplish it within three hours.
This rule may not hold in all cases, but there are tasks that you can take a shorter time to complete. Work on completing such tasks within a shorter deadline so that you can free up more time for other jobs to be completed.
4. Eat Foods that Boost Mental Alertness and Productivity
Whether you are learning to develop your brainpower or you want to know how to boost productivity while working remotely, some foods can help to increase mental alertness and keep you getting the results you want to see in your business.
Foods such as salmon, garlic, eggs, broccoli, blueberries, avocado, and most importantly, water, boost mental alertness, brainpower, and productivity. You need to stay mentally fit if you must develop the level of thinking that can help you grow your small business.
5. Cut Out Trivial Tasks
Time management is critical to business growth and success. That’s why you must learn how to eliminate tasks that add little or no value to you or your business. Using time management apps may help, but it’s much better to get rid of unnecessary tasks.
The simple way to do this is to think about tasks you want to do critically before plunging into them. Some jobs look important on the surface, but if you develop critical thinking skills, you will find that many of the things you’ve spent much time on are unnecessary.
6. Don’t Deny Yourself Good Rest and Sleep
Once your small business starts to gain momentum, you’ll feel uneasy about the things you are yet to do. However, learn to appreciate your small wins and take a rest. Give yourself a break instead of staying up all night because of something you think you are yet to do.
An article on Zapier showed that a good night of sleep seriously boosts individual productivity the next day. The study surveyed several thousands of workers and concluded that sleep helps productivity, and that’s why it’s so crucial to becoming productive in your small business.
Conclusion
Every big business today started reasonably small. Your business could also reach untold heights if you arm yourself with the right productivity tools, the proper habits, and the mindset for growth and success in any endeavor. Hopefully, these tips will help you maintain efficiency while operating your small business.
