It is a stock-standard response and yet so very true and especially for owner-operators of small and medium businesses.

Interestingly, research indicates that many businesses are operating with up to 30 percent waste through things like double-handling and unnecessary tasks. What could you do with 30 percent more time?

Here are our top tips to help boost your productivity and efficiency:

• Prioritise tasks: setup or use a calendar and prioritise tasks based on importance and urgency, ensuring that you consider when to do the task and how long it’s going to take. This will help you focus on the most important tasks first and ensure that you don't miss any deadlines.
• Eliminate distractions: Close unnecessary tabs and apps, and set aside specific times for checking emails and social media. This will help you focus on the task at hand and increase your productivity.
• Take breaks: Taking short breaks throughout the day can help increase productivity and prevent burnout. Step away from your desk for a few minutes, take a walk, or do some stretching exercises.
• Use technology: Utilise productivity apps and tools to automate repetitive tasks, schedule appointments, and manage projects. Some popular apps include Trello, Asana, and Todoist, which may help but remember an electronic list is the same as a manual list and it doesn’t help you prioritise, set out when you’re going to get it done or how long it’s going to take.
• Delegate tasks: If possible, delegate tasks to others to free up time for more important responsibilities. This can help you focus on the tasks that require your expertise and achieve more in less time.
• Keep things organised: Having a clean and organised work environment can help you focus and make it easier to find what you need. This includes keeping your desk clear of clutter, labelling files and folders, and having a system for keeping track of important documents.
• Use the Pomodoro Technique: This technique involves breaking your work into 25-minute intervals separated by short breaks. This can help you stay focused and increase your productivity.
• Plan: your day/week/fortnight/month and before going to bed, your next day. Make sure you have scheduled your day, appointments and meetings, and set reminders. This can help you hit the ground running in the morning and make the most of your time.
• Do a Waste Audit: uncover the areas of your life and business that are draining your most important resource (time).

By implementing these productivity hacks and techniques, you can free up time and achieve more in less time. Remember to be consistent with these strategies and to make it a habit.

With a little bit of effort and discipline, you can boost your productivity and efficiency, and achieve your goals in both your personal and professional life.

If you would like some assistance on the road to regaining your time reach out to us and we can assist you with some of the workshops that we have available for you and your team.