Need Help With Your Business To-Do List? – Updated for 2021
Is your business to-do list becoming a never-ending docket of tasks? Have you been stressing about the things you are and aren’t getting done in a day?
While being a business owner is fantastic and has its perks, it also can be extremely time-consuming. Don’t let your business to-do list weigh you down.
Being the one to handle everything that needs to get done is exhausting. Most days you are working 10 hour days and STILL not even putting a dent in your to-do list.
Tasks That Aren’t Getting Done
As a business owner, making sure that your company runs smoothly is at the top of your to-do list every single day obviously. But what about the other stuff on that pesky list?
Normally, with your own company, you can spend up to 40% of your time on administrative duties. Administrative duties usually don’t generate any revenue.
These tasks can include things like; scheduling appointments, video conferencing, social media management, payroll, task and email management, and much, much more.
When these tasks continue to pile up and then don’t get taken care of in a timely matter, it can negatively affect the flow of the business.
Surrounded by Chaos
Entrepreneurs will often experience this level of chaos, that is normal and sustainable throughout the day. But, there are the days when the chaos becomes an overload of tasks along with that growing business to-do list.
An office in chaos may be slightly stressful but some chaos is good. The “good chaos” is when you have too many clients but are bringing in more and more money, the numbers look promising, and productivity is efficient.
With “bad chaos”, it is when the office is so crazy that you fear even showing up, employees are not being productive. There will always be ways that this type of chaos can be simmered down by.
How to Delegate Tasks
To learn how to delegate tasks effectively is one of the most beneficial characteristic traits that a business owner can obtain.
While most managers think that they can pass tasks on quite well and they know what they’re doing, 1 in 3 have no idea they are a “control freak”.
The key is to properly delegate the right tasks, not the wrong ones. You could delegate the wrong task and be furiously working on something else that doesn’t require your precious time. The task at hand can be passed on to an employee who has the extra time to spend on it.
Your focus will be on the most important items of your business (that need to be taken care of right away). Let the other, less important things be handed off to an employee below you. Most entrepreneurs would be wise to pass off their more “time-consuming” computer items like SEO and social media management.
Picking The Best Person to Help With Your To-Do List
Your list of things-to-do is something that never seems to disappear. That is why it is important to have reliable employees and assistants who will demonstrate a “job well done”.
Especially since you are trusting them with important business duties. If there are employees that you know who always seem busy too, probably not a good person to depend on to assist with your VIP list.
However, don’t just hand it to someone who won’t deliver and may also make things harder on you in the long run.
How To Be Clear
Another important key when delegating is to make sure that you are explaining the task clearly but not into too much detail.
It is possible to make the listener feel insulted.
Explain enough of the task for them to understand the “just” of it. Remember that this is not only a task, but you are also giving them authority as well as a responsibility.
Set Up A Timeline
While relying on this list of things-to-do, there should be some type of timeline set up for every item (even small tasks).
When you give yourself a time limit, you are more likely to ensure that it is accomplished by then.
All of your unfinished items will be moved up to the top of the list. Which also is why ranking your list works so well.
By ranking your tasks, it will help you get the important things done first. You can even delegate the bottom/less important items more easily.
Get to The “Productive State”
In order to find your way to the state of mind that is called the “productive state”, it is something we all could take a lesson on. Productivity consultant David Allen, who wrote, “Getting Things Done”, discusses what being in the “productive state” of mind is.
Allen says that this state is when you’re in, “control, relaxed, focused, inspired, and engaged.”
Once you allow your mind to switch gears and focus on the task at hand, you can accomplish unbelievable things!
It is proven that when you allow yourself to relax, you can focus a lot easier and then from there you can move forward with the needs that are on your to-do list for the day.
Evaluate What You Have Accomplished
Experts recommend that at the end of every week, you need to be taking an hour or so to go over the list of accomplished things. Then go over those unfinished items.
With this time you can go over what worked well and what was harder to do. Although this can get slightly annoying, especially when you are crunched for time, it increases your productivity level in a very large way!
Finding Help
Searching for other forms of help and seriously finding it can be difficult at times.
Most days you are running around, going from meeting to meeting, call to call, and slowly trying to accomplish things on that list of things-to-do. When is there time to get help?
Also, wouldn’t that take up almost the same amount of time trying to find a reliable subject and then explaining to them the task at hand?
Not necessarily…if done the right way, you won’t have to waste much time at all!
Sometimes doing things untraditionally can be better for your situation and your business.
Using a virtual assistant company will increase your productivity level instantly. These companies will also help alleviate your stress, and allow you to have room for other business items.
Task Bullet
What is Task Bullet you ask? Task Bullet is a virtual assistant company that helps small to large businesses with everyday tasks that should not get forgotten but sometimes do.
When you hire an assistant or remote worker delegating soon disappears because they learn what you want help with every day, which items are more important to you and the company, and things that can be done ahead of time so tomorrow seems easier!
Hiring a virtual assistant will save you money, in addition to the amount of time that was given back to your every day. Task Bullet can place the right assistant for your needs, business, and required time.
Turn “Stressed” Into Vacation Time
Once you call Task Bullet and find yourself that perfect virtual assistant, your stress levels will decrease so much!
We all know that leaving work is the best feeling at the end of every day, but as the face of the company, it may be easier said than done.
Often you make your way home and are still receiving text, calls, emails, and alerts of things that seem to need your attention right away.
With an assistant that can work during different times of the day, you can start to schedule that much-needed vacation time with your family!
Task Bullet makes it a goal to help you get home and finally be able to breathe. Remember, it’s okay to take a break sometimes.
Rest knowing that your business is not falling apart while you’re gone, is the most satisfying feeling ever while on vacation!