Increase Productivity in Your Home Office
We’ve all heard the adage: don’t work hard, work smart. And while you will have to work to see your business succeed, there are ways you can streamline the work you do so that it’s more efficient. And heaven’s knows the closer tax season gets the more efficient you want to be. So here are a few simple things you can do to work smart.
Have a schedule: 1. stick to it, and 2. see that everyone else does.
It’s important that you keep hours just like any other business. And because you work for yourself, you get to pick your hours: from 9 to 5, 6 to 9, 10 to 2, whatever you choose you need to honor that schedule. Obviously there will be times when even you have to work overtime, but be sure clients, family, and friends know when you’re open for business and when you’re not; ask them to honor this schedule. This means that you don’t become a slave to your business even when you get calls after or before business hours. This also means that you can’t cave every time your best buddy comes over to watch a game that’s smack dab in the middle of your work schedule.
It can be a little too easy to overstep your own boundaries in a home-work environment because you never truly leave your work in the office when that office is in the spare room of your home. But do the best you can to put it away, letting your answering machine or voicemail do the job it was designed to do. Otherwise you send clients a mixed message.
Develop a routine.
You’ll be more efficient if you develop a routine that you follow every time you sit down to your desk. There’s something about a routine that the brain appreciates; it’s better able to kick different functions into gear when it anticipates that need. Be sure to stagger your routine, sandwiching a mindless task in between two cerebral tasks. This can help you stay focused and motivated, avoiding burnout for a longer period of time.
Practice time management techniques.
Good time management and increased productivity go hand in hand. If you can do more with less time, you immediately increase your efficiency and productivity. And there are many things you can do to better manage your time, such as planning daily, prioritizing tasks, avoiding distraction, and eliminating procrastination. For more information, read our article on good time management techniques.
Choose health.
It’s difficult to be productive when you’re dead tired or lack energy. Ensuring that you’re eating healthy meals and getting a full-night’s sleep is vital in working quickly and efficiently. If you have a physically problem that’s interfering with work and you just can’t pinpoint a cause, visit your doctor and see how you might resolve that problem. You may be surprised at how much time you waste when both your body and mind are sluggish.
Put technology to work for you.
The right technology can help you be more productive. For example, if you’re still using a dial-up connection, the time has come for you to get cable or broadband. The time you waste waiting for pages to load will be eliminated and you can use that time to accomplish something else. Also consider other ways you might use technology to your advantage. If you can refer current and potential clients to a website with a thorough set of FAQ’s, you might eliminate time you’d spend answering additional questions.
There’s also lots of accounting and tax software available that could help you save time and be more productive. For example, over 80% of small businesses use QuickBooks to manage their finances, so chances are many of your current clients have much of the information you need in their QuickBooks files. The good news is that once you master this software yourself, you can make extra money offering QuickBooks set-up and help sessions. You’ll also be able to train your own clients to get you the information you need in the format you need it in.
Universal Accounting Can Help You Learn QuickBooks Pro
UAC’s Guide to Quickbooks Pro is a self-paced program that enables you to complete the parts that interest you and skip over the parts that don’t. Even if you have used the program for years, this course teaches you shortcuts and methods you may not have known. You will be impressed by the simple flow and completeness of this program. And in addition to having a system that can help you better manage your own business, you’ll also have the training to offer Quickbooks help services to current and potential clients. This could be just one way to better manage client information, enabling you to save time and be more productive. Don’t wait; order today!
It doesn’t take much to become more productive. Pick one or two of the things described here and implement them today! You may be surprised at what little it takes to move your business to the next level.
