How Small Businesses, Entrepreneurs, and Startups Can Get More Done
Whether you’re bootstrapping a new startup, trying to get your small business off the ground, or are looking for more ways to grow your income as a freelance, it often feels like there’s too much to do, and not enough people to help get it all done. It might seem like hiring more people is the best solution, but there are definite downsides to that route, too:
The hiring process can be long and complex.
There’s no guarantee that you chose the right candidate.
Training new hires is costly in terms of time, money, and other resources.
Complicating things further, each of these points is moot if you can’t even afford to think about hiring a new team member in the first place.
Thankfully, hiring additional employees isn’t the only way to increase your productivity. There are ways to get more done with the manpower you have on hand, and here are 3 of the most effective and easy-to-implement methods.
1. Assess how much time you’re spending in meetings
Meetings and phone calls can be a massive time suck. Often, they aren’t even necessary.
Getting more time without hiring additional employees requires you to assess and carefully analyze how you spend your time. Tally up the number of hours you spend in meetings each week and see if these events could be taking up more time than necessary. Then, brainstorm some ways to eliminate certain meetings while thinking about how to make the ones you keep more productive in the future. If you’re feeling stumped, these resources will help:
2. Focus on existing projects before beginning new ones
The brains of business-minded people are often overflowing with new ideas and projects that beg to be brought to life. This is a double-edged sword: Consistent innovation is important for entrepreneurial success, but it can also spread you thin and prevent you from making meaningful progress in your business.
Choose a doable number of projects to focus on at one time and save the others for later. Once a project is completed you can move on to the next initiative. You’ll be amazed by how much you can get done when you work with laser-sharp focus.
3. Utilize virtual business assistance and other forms of low-cost help
What if you could get some extra help without having to directly hire and train someone? Virtual business services, like a virtual assistant, can help you do just that.
To learn more about virtual assistants and what they can do, check out these articles.
14 Ways Virtual Assistants Can Help Freelancers Stay Organized
How a Virtual Assistant Can Streamline Day-to-Day Business Operations
For a solid boost of productivity, try putting each of the three tips we’ve shared today into action. You’ll get more done in less time while using fewer resources.
