Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or running a successful business, we all come across periods where it may start to feel that productivity levels are beginning to drop. This can often be frustrating and worrying, but the good news is that it is often much easier to address than you may think.
Finding out what’s behind your productivity issues can often help clear up any unwanted areas of inefficiency in your business workflow, and help boost motivation, energy and inspiration. Read on for some suggestions on how to help give your business a fresh new lease of life.
Check how efficient your business activities are
The efficiency of a business can be measured in a number of ways, including how efficiently it uses financial or human resources, or how efficiently your business manages time, production or its return on investment.
If you’re finding that there are areas where it feels far less efficient than you’d like it to be, then it may be time to review those closely. For example, if you’re finding that your business is spending far more than you expect or have budgeted for, take a closer look at what the money is being spent on, and if those expenses are really necessary.
For areas where your business may be getting held up and moving much more slowly that you expect, review these processes to see what kind of obstacles are in the way. If you find that your production teams are working much more slowly, then consider if there are any hold ups in the workflow that can be simplified or removed.
Take a look at your daily routine
For business owners or entrepreneurs, your business activities are often closely tied with your daily life, and it can be hard to separate the two. While it’s laudable to work so hard and have a strong sense of dedication to your goals, it’s also essential to have a healthy balance between your work and other areas of life.
How you feel physically and mentally can often have a significant impact on how well you perform, so if you’re finding that you’re working much more slowly and inefficiently than you have in the past, take the time to review your personal routine and wellbeing. Lack of rest can leave you feeling less alert or lead to making poor decisions so ensure you’re factoring in plenty of time to allow a good night’s sleep. Cancalm is a great way of adding a little more rest and calmness to your daily life, and can help you to feel more alert and energised the next day.
Review your business goals
Another aspect that can lead to a sense of inefficiency or overall dissatisfaction with your business, is if your goals and values are no longer aligned. Your business may have grown beyond your original goals, or changes in technology, market trends or the environment around you may need you to shift and redefine those goals for yourself and your business.
There are number of ways of identifying goals for a business, and these will be unique to you. Carry out a review of where your business is at the present moment, and what you hope to achieve going forward, to work out what your next set of goals may be for the coming future.
Avoid perfectionism
For many entrepreneurs, the myth of the perfect product, service or business environment can often become an unexpected obstacle holding them up along the way, and it can be a great enemy of productivity.
Trying to get things absolutely perfect may end up wasting valuable resources or time, and leave you falling behind. While you don’t want to put out poorly developed products or ideas into the world, or leave your business at risk of making mistakes by rushing things, you can take a more measured approach by allowing yourself to take stock of what you have achieved so far.
Remind yourself that done is better than perfect, and that you will always have the option to build and improve things incrementally. If you are putting up a new website, changes and additions can be made later on, but delaying a launch can give competitors the chance to get ahead of you much more easily. Focus on the achievements that your business has made, rather than getting too fixated on mistakes and errors. This will help boost overall morale, and help develop a more positive mind-set across your business.
