It is 10 pm on a Tuesday, and you are already burnt out. You have filed paperwork, spent hours on the phone, solved customer issues, and put out fires left and right. All you want to do is finish up and get to bed, but you know there is still more work to be done.  

Given it’s Spring, a time of renewal and rebirth, it's the perfect timing to make a change. We’re all working with the same 24 hours in a day, the key is how we manage ourselves, our time, and create a system to help us make the most of each minute and each hour. 

This is the life of a small business owner. The demands of everyday life: family, finances, having a social life, caring for children, or pets, all while running a business.  

If you are feeling overwhelmed with your workload and frequently find yourself short on time, we're here to help. 

Here are 5 productivity hacks for small business owners that will reduce the disorganization and overcommitment that clutters the day-to-day productivity of small businesses. 

1. Ditch non-essential meetings: 

Time management is everything to a small business owner, so it's crucial to cut any non-essential activities and respect your own time. This starts with meetings. Set meetings only if you are sure that the matter cannot be communicated through email, over the phone, etc. 

This way you can avoid wasted time that cuts into your personal productivity. According to statistics, 71% of professionals waste time every week due to unnecessary meetings. 

Before setting up a meeting, decide how long it’s going to be, and don’t exceed the time limit. And oh – don’t go off-topic either or else you’ll never complete the meeting on time. 

2. Automate what you can: 

You don’t need to do everything by hand, or on your own. There are many tools that you can implement that will free up your time so you can focus on the more important aspects of running a business.  

You can set up automated emails to follow-up on prospects, send out pay stubs to employees using apps, and even share files with your team members with a just click of the mouse. 

The trick is to encourage employees to take up tasks that require critical thinking or a human touch. But that’s possible only when you automate the boring and repetitive ones. 

3. Don’t multitask: 

Contrary to popular belief, multitasking reduces productivity. Not only do multi-taskers accomplish less, but their work is also lower in quality.  

Encourage employees to block time to focus on individual projects rather than staying on call every single moment. When you say “yes” to every demand that comes your way, you never end up getting any work done whatsoever. 

Create a calendar, allot different tasks for separate time windows during the day, and stick to the schedule. This way, you’ll find more than enough time to complete everything you’d planned for the day.  

4. Ask employees what needs to change: 

You may own and run the business, but it’s your employees who are everywhere. 

They see and hear things that may escape your attention. Ask your employees for feedback – they may be able to identify a process that could be streamlined, or an area that could be made more efficient. 

Make sure you foster a culture of open communication, where employees feel free to give feedback and share ideas between departments.  

5. Take good care of your workers: 

Happy employees mean happy customers. Happy customers equal a thriving company.  

If you want your business to do well, you need to make sure your employees are taken care of.  

How do you do that?  

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars towards that end – all you need to do is foster a friendly workplace with modern tools and safe technologies.  

Creating an environment that expresses employee appreciation and respect for their accomplishments will go a long way to boost productivity. Closing the gap between management and employees will create better transparency and boost workflow. 

Show your appreciation for employees by treating them to a free lunch or implementing casual Fridays can far to create an atmosphere that is welcoming, comfortable, and productive.  

Know when to ask for help for your Small Business 

A major time waster that small business owners suffer from is acquiring the necessary funding needed to support the goals of their company. The typical application process for loans and hard money lenders can range from 4 to 6 months pending actual qualification restrictions.  

A great solution to this issue is to utilize business credit instead of getting caught up with time-wasting roadblocks that come with traditional lenders.  

At Fund&Grow we have helped tens of thousands of clients acquire the credit to finance their business ventures.  

We lay the groundwork to obtain as much as $250,000 of unsecured credit at 0% interest that can be used in any way you see fit to support your business vision. 

If you’d like to put such funds to use for your business ASAP, give us a call at (800) 996-0270, and we will do our best to help you out!