How Business Owners Can Manage Their Time Better From A Top Answering Service
Books aren’t the only thing business owners are balancing in the new year. More business owners are seeking a better work-life balance in 2023 – and our virtual call-answering team knows just how to help.
Here are some time management tips for small business owners to increase productivity, relieve stress and improve their overall mental well-being.
Determine how you are spending your time
Determine the biggest “time-wasters” in your own operations to see where you can make adjustments. A 2015 survey from The Alternative Board surveyed 323 business owners regarding time management. Researchers specifically sought to identify time-suckers that diminish productivity.1Around 33 percent of business owners reported they waste their time on unscheduled communications, with 22 percent stating they waste time waiting for information or completing administrative tasks.
Use tools to track and manage your time
Consider using time-tracking apps on your phone, computer or both to see what you are spending your time doing and when. Visual graphs can show you trends in your productivity levels. You can use this data to determine when to schedule appointments and tasks around your peak productivity hours. Within these tools, you can also manage tasks, develop and monitor habits and view daily activities at a glance. Make sure to leave clear notes and stay committed to using these tools daily for peak effectiveness.2
Delegate tasks for effective time management
With delegation of tasks, other time management efforts will be effective. You need individuals you can rely on to complete smaller tasks such as scheduling and call answering. When delegating tasks, verify that the person has the “appropriate skills, experience, interest and authority needed to accomplish the task.” Then, provide clear instructions and follow up as needed to ensure success. You may also consider outsourcing other duties as needed to reduce costs and minimize training efforts.
Don’t overbook yourself
Set realistic expectations for yourself, your productivity and your workload. You set yourself up for failure when you don’t schedule appropriately. Consider blocking time in your day so you can complete smaller tasks. When business owners fail to set aside time for the little things, it can quickly throw off any strategy to stay on track. Time management in business starts with evaluating your booking operations and adjusting as needed.
Get organized
Do you waste valuable minutes searching through disorganized physical and digital archives? It’s time to change that. Get a plan in place to get your files and calendar organized. You could delegate file organization to a staff member or take complete control with manual sorting. The investment into organization will pay off when you can spend more time helping customers.
Outsourcing a virtual receptionist helps business owners with time management
Organizing your business and finding a personal time management strategy can take time. You want to ensure that you can experiment with new business strategies without it negatively impacting your customers. You may want to consider first outsourcing administrative tasks to free up your team.
Our virtual assistants from Nexa Receptionists can answer calls, book appointments, follow up on leads and more while you focus on more critical tasks. We can help your customers at any time of day via call, text or chat. Hiring a virtual receptionist can save both you and your staff time, resources and minimize time wasted. We integrate directly with your existing customer management database, booking appointments on your behalf. Outsourcing administrative tasks is a good first step to managing your time more effectively.
Stop procrastinating and start outsourcing a live answering service
Get help managing your time with a top call answering service. Call (888) 524-3799 or contact us online to learn more about the flexible and professional support we provide to business owners.
