There will always be pressure to run faster, that’s just part of business life. Clients want things yesterday; the team might need more time to deliver and there will always be more to do. Stop focusing on how busy you are and focus on being more effective.
Do the right things
Set aside time to plan and really think about your objectives. Build time into your diary every week to spend time thinking and planning. Making plans is only half the battle though, so make sure you also diarise some time to focus on executing your plan. Your focus should be on getting the right things done in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Be the best at what you do
Get better at what you do and invest time in developing your skills. However, it is important to realise that you can only be brilliant at a limited number of things. For everything else, hire someone who can do those things better.
Get started
Work to a mantra of do it, delegate it or dump it. Be decisive and think about the specific actions that are needed to achieve your goals. Avoid sitting around wondering where to start, just start. Do what is needed and do what is effective. Everything else can be delegated.
Automate
Find processes to streamline repeat tasks. This will help you to avoid re-inventing the wheel every time. For example, is there a tech solution for processing invoices or approving expenses? List out your regular monthly tasks and set about automating as many as you can.
Challenge yourself (or find a trusted adviser who will)
Ask yourself, “what can I do differently”, on a regular basis. Keep a note of the things you are spending your time on. If this list doesn’t align with your list of key objectives, then it’s time for a rethink. Benchmark yourself against others. Who are the high performers in your industry and how do you measure up? What can you learn from them? Do they do something that is very effective and could you do it too?
Be smart
Effective people constantly grow, evolve and make changes to the way they do things. Your focus should be on working smarter, not harder. Focus on delivering your key priorities and keep an eye on how best to adapt as the economic environment evolves. This will help you to be more effective.
Will Abbott heads up the business advisory and coaching team – you can book a free advice clinic to discuss your business needs by contacting him on 01242 776000 or emailing will.abbott@randall-payne.co.uk.
