{"id":24898,"date":"2015-11-11T12:19:42","date_gmt":"2015-11-11T12:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clearbooks.co.uk\/?p=24898"},"modified":"2015-11-11T12:20:37","modified_gmt":"2015-11-11T12:20:37","slug":"improving-productivity-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clearbooks.co.uk\/blog\/improving-productivity-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Improving productivity at work"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to be more efficient<\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

Everyone wants to run an efficient business \u2014 there\u2019s a whole \u00a0industry of books and seminars that\u2019s grown up around the subject. But a lot of the tips out there are designed for bigger businesses, and don\u2019t really address the concerns of smaller ones. That\u2019s why we thought we\u2019d go back to basics and give you our top five tips for working efficiently as a sole trader\u00a0or in a small business.<\/p>\n

1. Don\u2019t reinvent the wheel<\/strong><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s something that you do over and over again, make it into a system. This is one of the easiest ways to increase your efficiency, but also one of the most overlooked, because it can feel cumbersome to create a system, or silly to make a checklist for a simple process.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s actually really valuable though. When you can systematise a process, you greatly reduce the chances of forgetting something or making a mistake, and you also save a lot of energy and focus to use on other projects.<\/p>\n

2. Make it a habit<\/strong><\/p>\n

Likewise, if there\u2019s something that you know you need to do over and over again, then try to make it a habit. This is especially true if it\u2019s something that you don\u2019t really like doing. For instance, if you hate doing sales work, then make it a habit by creating a trigger for it (such as a specific time of day, or the end of another project), and give yourself a reward afterwards.<\/p>\n

Doing this creates a positive feedback loop in your brain, meaning that you\u2019ll be much more likely to actually do it, and you don\u2019t have to spend energy forcing yourself to do it \u2014 it will just become a habit.<\/p>\n

3. Get help<\/strong><\/p>\n

Remember, you don\u2019t have to do everything yourself, even if you work by yourself. It\u2019s much better to outsource things that you\u2019re not good at, take lots of time and energy, or you just hate doing to someone else who\u2019s better suited for them. Software can be a lifesaver here too, especially if you\u2019re not in a position to hire someone just yet. Clear Books’ accounting<\/a> and payroll<\/a> software is designed specifically to be simple and easy for non-accountants to use.<\/p>\n

4. Do the hard stuff first thing in the morning<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is one of the oldest, but most effective tips for efficiency. The reason it works so well is that your willpower depletes as the day goes on, especially in situations where you have to make a lot of decisions (which is definitely the case if you\u2019re running a business!) So save your lighter, less energy-consuming work for later in the day, and knock out the intensive stuff first thing.<\/p>\n

5. Don\u2019t multitask<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite being very popular in the past couple of decades, multitasking is actually terrible for efficiency. Studies have shown that even people who think they\u2019re more efficient when multitasking perform much worse than when they focus on one thing at a time.<\/p>\n

To really up your efficiency, try batching tasks. For instance, if you put up a blog post every week, don\u2019t write one post every week. Set aside a couple of hours at the beginning of the month and do all of your blog posts for that month in one go. This allows you to get really focused on what you\u2019re doing, which helps you work faster and more efficiently.<\/p>\n

Your turn: what are some of your best tips for efficiency? Tell us in the comments below!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How to be more efficient   Everyone wants to run an efficient business \u2014 there\u2019s a whole \u00a0industry of books and seminars that\u2019s grown up around the subject. But a lot of the tips out there are designed for bigger […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":124,"featured_media":24557,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nImproving Productivity at Work - Clear Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you a small business owner or sole trader? If so, you'll know how important time is! 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