Improve Your Productivity: 5 Time Management Tips for Small Business Owners

Photo: Isaac Smith / Unsplash

Small business owners are no strangers to busy days filled with endless tasks and to-do lists. We know the demands of your role, and we’re here to support you in becoming a time management superhero. Below, we will share five practical tips to supercharge your productivity, helping you expertly juggle all those small business responsibilities: 

1. Delegation Is Key

Delegation frees up your time to focus on what truly requires your energy and focus. It helps you clear the mountains of tasks on your plate by allowing experts to handle what they do best. 

As well as effectively delegating to your team, enlist the help of registered tax agents, IT outsourcing companies, freelancers, and other helpful professionals who can handle all the technical aspects of your business. You, your team, and a network of additional help will create a well-oiled machine that takes your business from strength to strength. 

2. Master the Art of Prioritisation

Knowing what matters on your to-do list can help you avoid getting lost in the chaos by giving you key goals to focus on. Start by listing your tasks, then identify the things you have to do, and then the ones that would be nice to do today.

Some people like to use a method called the Eisenhower Matrix, which divides tasks into four categories: 

• Urgent and important
• Not urgent but important
• Urgent but not important
• Miscellaneous 

Find an approach that works for you, and use it to be more productive. 

3. Eat the (Proverbial) Frog

Eating the frog is a simple method that helps you manage your time in a more efficient way. The central tenet of the idea is to do the hardest task on your list first. You know the one – the task that feels as daunting as having to eat a frog. It will take the most effort and energy, but ticking it off your to-do list will get your day started on a positive note. It also means that if you lose energy throughout the rest of the day, you’ve already overcome the most difficult hurdle, so it hasn’t been a waste of time. 

4. Say No

Learning to say no is the ultimate productivity hack. It’s like creating a forcefield around your precious time and energy. As a small business owner, you’ve probably got a constant stream of people wanting to take up your time. By learning to turn down calls, say no to unnecessary business events, and generally focus your energy on what really matters, you will find you have a lot more in the bank to focus on your top priorities. 

5. Take Time Out

Around 42% of small business owners have experienced burnout in the past month. As somebody in such an important position, it is easy to forget that your most valuable asset is yourself. Neglecting personal time with family and friends can drain your energy and creativity, which ultimately hampers your productivity. 

You are not a superhero – you need moments to relax and turn off your business brain. Doing so rejuvenates your mind and body and ensures that when the time comes to work on your company again, you’re absolutely refreshed and ready to go. 

Become a Time Management Master 

With the tips above and a few targeted adjustments to your schedule, you can manage your time much more effectively. Whether you hire tax experts to take care of accounting complications or simply “eat the frog” every day so you’re always ahead of the worst tasks, you’ll be on track to do great things and take your small business from strength to strength.