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Free Website Content
Increasing Productivity
By Sharon Housley
Small business owners frequently juggle a variety of
roles within their companies. Creating a balance and
effectively managing available time is extremely important
to most small businesses. In order to economize and
make the most of the available time, you should implement
a time management plan.
Get Real
Set realistic goals that are not unreasonable or unattainable.
It can be very demotivating to consistently feel as
if you have not accomplished anything, simply because
you regularly fail to meet unreasonable goals that you've
set for yourself. By setting more realistic and attainable
goals, you will feel a sense of accomplishment, and
often be motivated to work harder.
Know Yourself
When are you most productive? Use the hours of the
day when you are most productive to tackle the more
difficult tasks. Manage your schedule so that you use
your time most effectively.
Start
Sometimes the thought of starting a new project
is overwhelming. In fact, the start itself can often
be the most difficult part of a new project. Prepare,
plan, and then take action! Dive in feet-first and start
the project. Do not let the size of a project intimidate
you. If necessary, large projects should be broken down
into multiple smaller ones, making it easier to get
started.
Benchmarks
Set benchmarks to monitor your ongoing progress.
Benchmarks are particularly important for large projects
or complex tasks. Use these benchmarks to assess the
feasibility of your planned time, and make adjustments
when necessary.
Plan For The Unexpected
Unfortunately, things often come up that will disrupt
your carefully laid plans. Try to think of disruptions
as challenges rather than roadblocks. Do not panic when
the inevitable unexpected delays occur, and do not be
reluctant to adapt and revise your planned schedule
when such disruptions force you off your timetable.
Evaluate
Evaluate your progress on a regular basis. If you find
that a specific task consistently wastes an inordinate
amount of time, devote some brainstorming time to find
different and possibly quicker ways to accomplish the
same task.
Rewards
Build rewards into your schedule. Plan to "treat"
yourself after you tackle and complete an unpleasant
or particularly daunting task. If you enjoy certain
projects more than others, use those enjoyable projects
or tasks as rewards for completing the less-enjoyable
ones.
Keep A List
It may sound silly to keep a list. Of course you know
what you need to do... but maintaining a list will help
you stay focused. Additionally, the act of crossing
a completed task off the list can provide you with a
morale-boosting sense of accomplishment!
Self Discipline
When you hear the "fun things" in life calling, remain
disciplined. Adhere to your schedule, and resist the
urge to become distracted during scheduled work hours.
If you've done your time management planning correctly,
there will still be time to enjoy those fun things.
Take Breaks
Do not forget to take regular breaks. Go for walks and
get fresh air when necessary. Sometimes a short walk
will refresh you, and you may find yourself even more
productive as a result.
Realize that some days are simply going
to be more productive than others. Managing time effectively
can be very difficult, but it does become easier the
more you do it.
About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com
software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds
and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for
RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com
audio recording and editing software.
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publications and websites, provided that the resource
box is included and the links are active. A courtesy
copy of the issue or a link to any online posting would
be greatly appreciated send an email to sharon@notepage.net
.
Additional articles available for publication available
at http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htm
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