How to Be Organized and Save Time

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Why are some small business owners overwhelmed with work? It’s because they haven’t any business plan in the first place. And even if they do, they’re probably spending time in unnecessary activities. When this happens, there’s a chance that they are going to miss some business opportunities that could have been theirs.

Time management plays an important role in setting priorities. This is one of the initial challenges of small businesses, whether they or not task management software, project tracking, any other kinds of simplified management tools.

How can time management be documented in terms of saving time and getting organized? There are ways how to save time and be organized, powerful methods that successful business owners use.

Tackle the Most Important Thing First

Everyone who is into time management is familiar with Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The third habit is just that: Put first things first. It simply means to place first things that are of most worth or value. This is one way to be organized.

In the first place, a business plan should be in place. Also, a to-do list helps in any situation, business owner or not. It is an effective way of documenting management. What follows after completing the first priority is to do the next task in the list, and so on down the line. Soon, the work becomes enjoyable and the feeling is that of fulfilment, and feeling good towards self.

Throw Away Things Not Needed

Almost always, the most efficient people let go things they strongly think they don’t need. Occasionally, it is good to observe the working methods of a successful business owner-friend or acquaintance. One thing noticeable is that organized people keep their desk or working table clear at all times so that he can concentrate on just one item at a time. They actually throw a lot of things away that aren’t needed at the moment, or at most, keeping unneeded things out of sight.

An efficient and effective person’s definition of what he or she needs now includes keeping up an extensive and well-organized catalogues file and other material that can be referred to quickly. This is a good practice of documentation management. People who practice time management are organized. They know what they want, how to time plan and what they need to keep. It all starts with a clearly defined set of goals, business plans already in place.

Balance Opportunity and Replenishment Times

There are two different kinds of time. The first is opportunity time by which career goals are being achieved. The second is replenishment times by which strength is being rebuilt through exercise, recreation or relaxation, and proper sleep.

Sometimes flameouts happen, times when managers can’t balance their opportunity time to replenishment time. Everyone’s familiar with a workaholic person. Someone overly focused on opportunity time that they miss out on replenishment time. The term used is “flameout.” Highly productive people suffer flameout. Often, they lose several years of good life from things and people they love as a result.

Self-help books and life-balance consultants will advice not to fly too high when tanks are low. It is time to re-energize, to spend few days away in a completely different atmosphere, to get a life away from work.

Get Tough on Opportunity Time

It is amazing how much of a small business owner’s working life can get eaten up by trivial interruptions unless he or she is determined not to let that happen. This can even be more challenging for those working from home where they need to content with family members. Successful business owners are tough about how their time is pre-empted by what other people think is important.

Time should not be wasted by doing unnecessary activities. Everyone knows this but implementing it is the biggest hurdle. Once time is squandered away it can never return. Using the ways given above saves time and helps small business owners get organized.