Time management is a skill that every business wants to master.

Efficient, productive, and consistent are some of the adjectives that describe a successful business. However, becoming known for such terms is harder than one may expect.

Poor time management is one of the most common challenges that businesses face on a daily basis, and it can have long-lasting negative ramifications. For this reason, we have decided to focus on this theme for the third chapter of our five-week series. We will explore what it means to manage your time poorly and provide solutions to remove this obstacle from your path to business success.

Do You Struggle with Time Management?

Do you ever feel like there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you have on your growing to-do list? If that’s the case, you’re not the only one. Time management is one of the most common issues businesses face every day. In fact, were you aware that people typically dedicate around 50% of their workday to tasks that offer little to no value?

Here are some questions I would like you to think about. Do you find it difficult to prioritise tasks and feel the need to do everything instantly? Are you faced with many unfinished tasks leading to no accomplishments? Are you working overtime and feeling drained, which in turn is affecting your mental and physical health? If that’s the case, you are not managing your time efficiently.

Yes, poor time management can lead to wasted hours, but it can also cause financial losses and decreased customer retention due to the lack of productivity and execution of high-quality work. In other words, it can cost your business.

Solution: Prioritise, Schedule and Get Assistance

We all have 24 hours in our day, so how come some businesses are so efficient whilst others struggle? It’s all about managing, planning and getting the tools to help in your day-to-day.

Prioritise and Cooperate

If you want to avoid poor time management, it’s vital to get one thing right: prioritising tasks. You have a set of hours in the day, so make sure to make the most of it by focusing on one job at a time and giving it the attention it deserves. Quality is always better than inconsistent quantity, especially when the work you do determines the credibility and reputation of your business.

Also, if you’re not a one-man band, you should ask for all the help you can get. By setting goals and KPIs for you and your team and coming up with a plan of action with deadlines, everyone will know what they need to be doing, which will, in turn, increase productivity and deliver better results.

Automations and Third Party Assistance

If everyone in your team has their hands full, it might be a good idea to take advantage of technology to automate certain tasks. You can opt for something small like collecting and replying to reviews or something bigger like automating your entire customer service. It really depends on what you need at the time, but at least it’ll take something off your plate.

However, if you find yourself needing expert help in areas your team can’t deliver, you could employ the support of specialised companies. Of course, there’s always the option to do it yourself, but if you don’t have the skills required, it could end in wasted time and money. So, whether you need help ranking higher on Google, writing engaging content for your blog and social media, or building and maintaining a positive online reputation, look to employ experts to help you out. Sometimes external help is all you need to keep your business growing and succeeding.

Mastering Effective Time Management

Poor time management can significantly damage your business and negatively impact customer acquisition and sales. Therefore, it’s necessary to master this skill, for yourself and your team, to continue growing your business and achieving your goals.

Remember, although it’s common to find yourself with too much to do and too little time, it can still lead to physical and mental stress. To prevent such health problems, it’s crucial to seek help, either from within your organization, outside sources, or both.