Advanced Time Management
How can the consulting service business owner ensure her time is well managed? First, by organizing work space so that important papers don't get lost and unimportant papers do. You can also make a rule that you will avoid handling papers more than once. If you pick up a piece of paper, make a decision regarding it right then.
A time management planning system can help you get the most out of your day. Specifically designed systems give you a handy place to record appointments, daily to-do lists, special projects, and contact information. If you prefer to manage time using computers, there are numerous contact management and scheduling programs that will help you manage your time.
Set up a regular work schedule. Whatever it is, try to stick to it. If you manage your time well, you will be able to. If you have one time of the day that seems more productive for you than others, plan your most important functions around it.
Using Time Efficiently
What about travel and waiting time? Take work with you in a briefcase or purchase a laptop computer that you can use to stay productive every minute. As your time management skills improve you'll learn how to do more than one thing at a time. You could be making job notes or talking with a key employee or gathering information on an upcoming project while you're waiting to talk with a client.
Meetings seem to be one of the biggest time-wasters there are. But you can change this by thoroughly preparing for all of your meetings. To be productive, meetings must have a purpose or an agenda and a time limit. Even if you didn't call the meeting, if you see that it has no focus or structure you can step in and say, “I have another appointment in an hour. What topics do we have to cover?” and come up with an agenda that way.
Reduce Stress
Time and stress are closely related. The lack of time to do what you need to do often increases personal stress. How do you manage both? The following are ideas from a successful consultant.
Plan your time and establish priorities on a daily “to do” list.
Decide what your prime time is and do your most important or difficult tasks then.
Set business hours, specific times when you're at work and times when you turn on the answering machine because you're on duty but off call. You, your clients, and your family will appreciate knowing your set routine, even though you know that for special events or emergencies you can break that schedule.
Confirm your appointments one-half day before the appointment — in the afternoon for next morning or morning for that afternoon. It will save you time, and your clients will appreciate the consideration.
If you're working from home, give your business as much of a separate and distinct identity as possible. Although you might save a few dollars by using the dining room table as a desk and a cardboard box as a file cabinet, the stress and strain of operating without proper space and supplies will take its toll.
Have a separate room or area for your business, with a separate entrance if clients visit. Consider sound-proofing so your family won't be bothered by your noise and vice versa. In addition to the psychological and physical comfort of having a separate room for your home office, the IRS requires it in order for you to make a legitimate claim for tax deductions.
Keep all of these tips in mind as you make plans for your business.
