More Productivity

5 Simple Ways for Entrepreneurs to Immediately Improve Business Efficiency

Written by Evan Goodman

When you’re running your own business, there are countless important issues that you have to take into consideration and many problems that employees will never encounter. The normal routine that you would enjoy as an employee is one that you will have to create for yourself – you have no supervisor to make sure you’re productive, and this can quickly lead to inefficiency. With these simple five steps, you will learn how to overcome this problem and boost your everyday business success.

Lose Your Distractions

As a business owner, it can be too easy to be constantly distracted. Your friends and family will never tire of pointing out the fact that you can set your own hours, and will expect you to be available for them at all times.

Instead of giving in to their requests to join them for a quick nine holes of golf or to fix up a leaking gutter, you must be firm on your hours.

Let your family and friends know that you have to work eight or more hours a day just like anyone else, or you won’t earn the money to do anything with them.

If you are working from home, make sure that your office area is set apart from roommates, children, or any other distractions, so that you can work productively in peace.

Create a Routine

One of the most difficult parts of being self-employed is learning the art of self-discipline. Just like other professionals, you need to dedicate a solid portion of your day toward furthering your career. This will help you gain the expert knowledge and skills you need in order to become the best in your field.

This may mean you need to create a routine that will work best for your business, where you can be flexible with your hours and more importantly that you have regular time dedicated purely for your work.

Learn to Say “No”

One of the best words you can learn to use as an entrepreneur is “no”. While you may think that saying no to a quick lunch that will threaten your productivity is the most important thing for your business, saying no to yourself can be just as crucial.

Don’t give in to the temptation to sleep in late, leave work early, or take too-frequent breaks to play video games. While you can’t be a slave to your work, you need to keep a proper balance unless you want your business to stall.

Outsource Certain Tasks

As an entrepreneur, you need to focus your time on your strengths. Outsourcing administration, recruitment, accounting, and other time-intensive tasks can be a great way to improve your efficiency. There are plenty of resources online that will help you find the right outsourcing options, freeing you up to focus on your core business activities.

Create a Formula, and Stick to It

Every successful business owner has a formula for their success. It may take months or years of trial and error to refine your own method, but once you’ve found it, you need to stick to it and create the success you deserve in your business.

As an entrepreneur, your success or failure is largely within your own hands. Building a profitable business takes a huge amount of effort, and you can’t afford to waste your energy on inefficiencies which don’t take you nearer toward your ultimate goal.

“The opinions expressed by BizWitty Contributors are their own, not those of BizCover and should not be relied upon in place of appropriate professional advice. Please read our full disclaimer."

About the author

Evan Goodman

Over the past 30 years, Evan Goodman | Business Coach has founded numerous ‘start-ups’, built them into successful businesses and gone on to sell them. He has experienced and overcome most of the common challenges faced by business owners and leaders and understands the pressure and stresses that running a business can cause.

He also recognises the value and importance of getting sound advice and support when faced by these common challenges and of being prepared to openly discuss issues with a coach or mentor.

Since building up his last business into a national company, and selling it in 2009, Evan focusses on coaching SME business owners on how to become business leaders. He has a Masters of Business Coaching degree UOW; creating a unique blend of experience, expertise and coaching best practice for his clients.