TIPS ON GETTING THINGS DONE

Don’t allow these tasks to be left behind or done in a rather sub-standard manner.  Get into good practices now while your business is still in its infant shoes.

Here are some tips you can implement early in your business, to ensure that things get done:

1. Be smart at planning and managing your time.  Time is a great commodity – how much we have is unfortunately unknown.  Decide in advance what you absolutely must do and what you would really like to do tomorrow or next week. Don’t try to plan today what you will be doing today – that normally ends up pear-shaped.  Make sure that your family knows and understands your deadlines – if you label it as important, chances are they will do the same.
2. Think carefully about the future. My guess is that you didn’t start your business thinking to end it within the next 6 months or a year.  Surely you’re in it for the long run.  When you plan your marketing strategy or you consider crowd funding or getting big investors, you should also envision what your business should look like in 2 or 5 years from now.  You might find yourself in a tight spot now but don’t let that cloud your long-term view on where you are heading.  Do the admin and keep the financial paperwork in order – it is the only way for you to see if you are still moving in the direction of your planned long-term vision.
3. Remember to stop and breathe.  Climbing the entrepreneurial mountain of success sometimes make us think that we need to do everything and do it right now.  Especially if you are your entire compliment of staff.  Calculate what your time is worth to you.  Decide what tasks is mundane and can be outsourced to someone else who will charge you less than what your hourly rate is.  Do what you planned to do for the week and then… reward yourself with a deep breath and something delicious. Celebrate the small achievements – it will carry you through the hard days.
4. Invest in professional help.  It will save you a lot of time and money and could put you in a different league than your rivals.  Paying for expert services might be the smartest thing you can do for the sustainability of your business.  Ensuring that your business is still around 10 or 20 years from now, thriving and growing every year, you must accept that you are only good at what you are good at.  Make use of other people’s strengths and see the return on your investment.

Contact Business Doctors North West for more advice on these and other topics. http://businessdoctors.co.za/linda-botts/