Worried You're Not Being Productive? Try these Small Business Life Hacks
Small Business • March 9, 2015 at 3:00 PM • Written by: PeopleKeep Team
Everyone loves a good life hack. And sometimes some of the most simple life hacks can literally change your life. Like when you realized you can use fingernail polish to fix scratches on your car (yeah, I know, genius).
With so many life hacks for things we do every day, there has to be some pretty amazing ones for your small business, too, right? Of course there are! To help you run your small business more efficiently, we’ve put together some of the best life hacks to help you and your employees be more productive.
Not Familiar with What a “Life Hack” Is?
Not everyone knows what a life hack is, and that’s totally fine. Allow me to bring you up to speed. A life hack is simply a useful piece of information you learn which allows you to do something easier in your everyday life. Pretty easy stuff.
But how can this apply to your small business? Keep reading to find out.
Small Business Life Hacks for Your Small Business
As a small business owner, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with everything you need to do. But did you know you can be more productive and less stressed if you follow a 3 simple life hacks? These life hacks are here to help you and your employees become more productive and less stressed.
Life Hack #1 - Take Control
If you and your employees want to be as productive as possible, it’s your time to take control of your day.
How can you do this?
Be transparent. Rather than piling one task after another on your plate, you need to realize you can’t do everything. Tell your employees what’s going on. They can’t help you or alleviate any stresses if they do not know what is happening. When they see that you are transparent and are vocal when you need help, they’ll follow suit.
Life Hack #2 - Focus on What’s Making the Biggest Impact
It’s so easy to get caught on the little details, right? Here’s where you and your employees can really shine. Each of you take a piece of paper and write your tasks for the day. Write a number next to each one based on its importance.
Then, it’s simple: start with the first task and work your way down. The tasks at the bottom of the list aren’t going to have as big of an impact on business as the ones at the top, so you won’t beat yourself up if you don’t get to them in time.
Related: HR Tips: Working Late is Hurting Your Small Business
Life Hack #3 - Find Your Productive Time
Wait, you can pick when you’re productive? Sort of. You and I both know when we are most productive. For me, it’s in the morning between 8am and 10am. So, I do as much of my important work during that time slot as I can.
The same goes for your and your employees. Find out when you’re most productive and hash out as much as you can during that time. This isn’t to say you’ll be unproductive the rest of the day, but getting as much important work during your peak productive time will really make a difference in how much you get done in a day. You’ll feel more productive if you get as much as you can done during your productive hours of the day.
Related: You’re Wasting Time - 7 Time Management Tips for Business Owners
Bonus Life Hack - Get Out and Breathe
Yep. If you’re not getting out for a breath of fresh air, stretching your lungs and muscles, or going for a quick walk or drive, you’re not going to be productive. However, the only way this will work is if you set a goal. Make a goal to get out and breathe at least 2 times a day.
Conclusion
Productivity life hacks can rock you and your employees’ world. What’s the best way to be productive? Let’s recap.
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Ask for help with your workload when you need it - don’t be afraid
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Prioritize your most effective tasks and get them done first
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Know when you’re most productive and use that time
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Know the value of taking your mind away from work for a moment
What ideas do you have to help amp up productivity for your small business? Comment in the section below.
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