Time is a luxury for almost everyone. Whether you are working, going to school, or have other obligations, you likely struggle to find time to get everything done. Even if you work from home and have the flexibility to climb that peak at your own pace, there are still tasks that eat away during your day.
So if you feel like your time is constantly on countdown, and it’s impossible to get anything done as quickly as you would like, read on for some helpful tips for freeing up time at work.
1. Plan your day the night before
This one may seem pretty obvious, but it’s easy to forget if you’re in a busy environment. It’s best to take a few minutes before you go to sleep at night to plan out your day the following morning. That way, you can start with a plan, more easily knowing what needs to be done and when. This will go a long way if you are in a busy office environment since your focus won’t be eaten up by being stressed about what needs to happen next.
For example, if you know your day will likely begin with a team meeting, you can plan what you’re going to say and how you will prepare. That will make it easier to focus on the meeting, and you will be more prepared to contribute.
2. Delegate what you can
Delegating is a great option when you’ve got a lot of work and no time to do it. You can start by figuring out what can be delegated. This may include smaller assignments or larger projects (like a report or speech). In addition, you can also delegate tasks that are part of your daily work routine, like email.
Delegating tasks and responsibilities will free up your time so you can focus on the bigger-picture items that will help move your project or company forward. When delegating, be sure you clearly understand what needs to happen and by when. Otherwise, the project may not get done as you want.
Delegating can be very tricky, especially when you have a team that you are managing. However, delegating will make things much easier and free up your time to work on your main project uninterrupted. A great example of task most businesses could do with delegating more often is the answering of inbound phone calls. Making use of an after hours answering service not only helps ensure you never miss a potential sales call, but also frees up more time for you to focus on what you enjoy doing.
3. Use technology to automate
Many tools can help you automate certain parts of your work. This can include the tools you use to run your business, the tools you use to track your tasks, or simple apps that help you stay more organized. For example, if you use a CRM system, you can create workflows to help you know what is happening with different projects.
Some tools can help you track your time, manage and respond to email, and even help you write blog posts more efficiently. Using a CRM like Salesforce, you can also use the app to send emails to clients. These tools will help you be more efficient and help you cut down on time spent on things that don’t need to take up your time. Technology can help with a lot of things, but you have to be careful not to get too dependent on it. Make sure you have backups in place in case something goes wrong with your computer or other technology.
4. Ditch constantly being on-call
If you work with clients, you may need to stay on call or be available during certain times. An excellent way to free up some time is to re-evaluate when you need to be on call. For example, you may be on call during business hours every day for clients who only want you to be available during regular working hours. You may, instead, be able to negotiate with them to be on call from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. This will free up some time during the weekends, allowing you to take a break or climb that peak when you’re free.
You can also re-evaluate how long you need to be available. For example, if you need to be on call for an hour each day, you may be able to negotiate with your client or manager to reduce that time so you don’t feel like you’re always constantly being interrupted.
Conclusion
Finally, it’s important to remember that time is a precious commodity. You can’t get it back once it’s gone, so you have to make the best use of it while you have it. This means you need to learn how to prioritize your tasks and make the most of your time.
These tips will help you free up your time to get more done and feel less stressed. You may also feel like you have more time to relax or enjoy your life outside of work.
