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Time management tips for professionals

Time management involves figuring out how much time to spend on specific tasks and controlling one’s schedule to be as productive as possible. Managing time more effectively can improve professionals’ quality of work, and a boost in productivity can make them more valuable to an organization.

This is not the only benefit of managing time better. Establishing and following a schedule of tasks can reduce stress. Gallup’s 2021 State of the Global Workplace report found workers in the United States and Canada ranked highest for daily stress levels of all groups surveyed. Some 57 percent reported feeling stress on a daily basis. Learning time management skills can help alleviate that anxiety.

These tips for time management can get professionals on the road to being more efficient.

• Make lists. Rather than keeping ideas or tasks in your head, jot down notes that you can organize into a schedule later. You can write them down on paper or in a digital notes application.

• Prepare a task plan. Each evening before you leave work or first thing in the morning the next day, map out all the tasks you have and when they will be done. High priority tasks should be done first, followed

by medium- and low-priority jobs.

• Avoid multi-tasking. Studies have shown that doing two or more things simultaneously tends to lead to none being done at full capacity. The more you multi-task, the more the end results will suffer.

Clifford Nass, a cognitive scientist at Stanford University, found that when putting his students through a series of tests, high multi-taskers were bad at filtering irrelevant information from the relevant, something that multi-taskers should seemingly be especially good at. Nass also found that high multi-taskers had diminished powers of mental organization and extra difficulty switching between tasks.

• Manage distractions. Distractions can put you on the path to procrastination. That is why you have to try hard to minimize distractions, whether it’s coworkers who interrupt or digital devices. Set “notification-free” times during the day when phone or computer notifications are turned off. You also may want to block incoming emails. This way you will have a window of distraction-free time to devote to a particular task.

• Time your focus. According to a study from researchers at the Department of Informatics, University of California, Irvine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to refocus when you’ve been distracted. Remaining in a focused state is essential. Set a timer so that you stay focused on a task for a particular period of time, such as 25 minutes. You’ll get more done before you take a break. Similarly, Parkinson’s law states that work will expand to fill the time that’s available for completion. Set time constraints for certain tasks so you will work more efficiently.

Time management is a useful skill for anyone. There are many different resources available to help individuals strengthen their time management skills.

Pay it forward: Local businesses can help each other

The power of small businesses is immense. However, starting a small business is no easy venture. The financial resource Fortunly states that roughly 22 percent of small businesses will fail in their first year of operation. Thirty percent fail because they run out of cash. One of the ways a small business can do better is to utilize the support of other local businesses.

Business owners often conduct market research to identify who their competition is and to determine if there is room in the market for their products or services. It’s just as important for established business owners to keep up with the who’s who in the business community, as doing so can pave the way for collaborative efforts that benefit all local businesses.

Here are some ways small business owners can support one another.

• Offer reassurance: Simply knowing they are not alone can help a small business owner survive. Owning a business can be stressful, and having another person acknowledge that

it’s alright to feel overwhelmed at times can be the spark owners need to press on.

• Share opportunities: A business owner who discovers a resource or an opportunity that worked for him or her, or even one that didn’t work but may for another, can pass on the information to another small business owner. It’s not about driving others down, but lifting them up.

• Cross-promotion: Business owners can show support by promoting other businesses in their communities. Make a bulletin board (either in-person or online) of other local business cards to recommend. This exhibits your community spirit and builds camaraderie. Use every opportunity to refer complementary businesses. For example, a local pet shop may recommend a pet groomer or veterinarian.

• Organize networking events: Whether it’s done through a local Chamber of Commerce or individual efforts, small business owners can spearhead events that get other business owners together to network and share ideas. These meetings can be informal to help others let off steam at the same time.

• Volunteer and donate: Small businesses can meet other business owners, but also become more involved in their communities through volunteer events. Partner with charities or other local businesses to promote philanthropic efforts. School supply giveaways, beach sweeps, community park refurbishments, or even supporting efforts to clean trash from Main Street are great ways to get involved.

Small business owners willing to work together can collectively improve their communities, which should benefit everyone’s bottom line.

Did you know?

Conscientious consumers who want to help local entrepreneurs thrive may not need any extra incentive to support small businesses in their communities. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth noting the tax benefits of buying local compared to buying online or in other towns or cities. Small businesses pay sales taxes to the city and county where the business is located, which means a significant amount of the money spent at local businesses is ultimately going to the community at large.

In addition, local businesses tend to hire local residents, who pay taxes on their incomes. Those taxes also benefit the towns and cities where workers live and work. This ripple effect of supporting local businesses is one reason why the Small Business Adminstration estimates that, for every $100 consumers spend at a small business, $48 remains in the community.

Three customer service practices that can make consumers happy

In 2009, a handful of protest songs posted to YouTube created quite a stir. After their guitars were mishandled and damaged while traveling on United Airlines, the Canadian folk duo Sons of Maxwell attempted to negotiate with the airline in an effort to be reimbursed for the damage. Those negotiations ultimately proved fruitless, so the rockers took to YouTube, posting a series of comical songs and videos.

While the songs became viral and drew many a laugh, the people at United Airlines, and their shareholders, were not laughing. The bad publicity sparked by the videos caused United stock to plummet, costing shareholders as much

Incidents like that highlight the importance of exceptional customer service, especially in regard to small businesses. Industry giants like United Airlines can no doubt afford some bad publicity, but small, locally owned businesses operate on much thinner margins. In recognition of the effects bad customer experiences can have on their businesses, business owners can emphasize the following three strategies to keep customers happy.

1. Encourage customer input. Business owners may not have their boots on the ground every day, so encouraging customer input may be the only way for business owners to get a handle on what it’s like to be their customer. That input can be used as a springboard to making positive changes that make customers happy, and it also can be used to help business owners recognize which staff members are going above and beyond to make sure customers have positive experiences.

2. Respond to reviews. A 2018 survey from Review Trackers found that 63 percent of reviewers never received a response to their reviews. Engaging with customers is vital for small businesses. Consumers appreciate it when business owners respond to their reviews. Customers who leave negative reviews are more likely to put such experiences behind them if business owners reach out and seek their input while assuring that they’ll work to provide better experiences in the future. Responding to customers who share positive experiences takes little or no time at all and it’s a thoughtful gesture to thank customers who take the time to leave positive reviews.

3. Get personal with customers. A personal experience drives many consumers to support local businesses. Taking time to be cordial with customers also is a great way to learn about their needs and wants so you can better serve them, potentially turning them into highly valuable repeat customers.