Spare time? What spare time are you talking about???
Seriously, though, once in a while, a business lull gives you a chance to do what you otherwise don’t get to. Make the most of it, says David Evans.
No matter what business you are in, I’m sure as a small business owner you never have enough time in the day to meet the needs of all that is asked of you. However, there are sometimes occasions in the natural course of business that allow you to ”get caught up.” Using these chances effectively is crucial to be successful. Time management is always a critical skill for an entrepreneur to have, but it’s not always about fitting 10 pounds into a five pound bag. Sometimes, effective time management relies on what you do when you only have four pounds for that five pound bag.
1. Correspond
Small business owners are inundated with email. Having a system for triaging messages and following up appropriately is critical to manage the deluge of communications.
2. Reconnect
Networking is at the heart of building a business… When there is extra time available, use it to schedule coffee or lunch with a new contact or even an existing contact.
3. Organize
Quiet, or relatively quiet, time is a great opportunity to create an action plan from the ideas that have been collected during the normal bustle.
4. Focus
Use a lull period to re-focus on what is important in the coming weeks and months, and more importantly, ensure that targets are still realistic and achievable.
5. Relax
A fully energized and committed entrepreneur is far more effective and valuable than a downtrodden and exhausted one.
Read the full article at inc.com.
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UPDATE – 19th April 11am
It has been reported that 30% of SME owners have not taken a holiday since starting in business. I can vouch for that!
Read the report here.
