7 Things To Do To Make Your Business Life Easier

As business owners, it seems we’re constantly being pulled in hundreds of different directions. Some days it can be thrilling, other days its manageable, and other days the work can feel like a massive struggle. But no matter what, there are some things you can do to make your life easier. Here are some cost-effective ideas for making the most of the hours in your day.

1. Find a partner.

Each of us has our strengths, the things we're excel at and enjoy doing. We also have things that are not in our wheelhouse - tasks we dislike or are not that good at. Rather than spend time and energy grinding through this less desirable work, ask if it can be done more quickly and effortlessly by someone else. For instance, if you know you need to put more emphasis on building your Facebook audience but don't know how, look for an expert freelancer who can help you manage this work.

Remember, your time has value. And if you can potentially make more money focusing your strengths on growing your business then the tradeoff might be worth it.

2. Use technology.

For better or worse, Henry Ford changed the automobile industry (and others like it) forever when he compartmentalized the work moving away from one person doing all of it from beginning to end and giving people specific roles to perform over and over. He didn’t invent the assembly line but he popularized it.

Just like the assembly line, if there is technology or a way to streamline work, consider adopting it. That may take the form of a chatbot (easily implemented through Facebook Messenger) to answer basic questions and take the burden off you to streamline customer communications.

3. Have (and use) goals.

I know...this sounds a little basic and obvious. All businesses have goals, right? But are your business goals clear and easy to understand? Not only for you, but you need to make sure all employees know your business goals. This not only gives them something to shoot for, it also provides a framework for decision making. Every decision can be weighed by asking if this moves your business closer to the goal(s) or not.

Because if you're going to feel pulled in a hundred different directions, at least you know which directions to pull first.

4. Launch one new thing at a time.

If you've heard me talk about building a successful business, you've likely heard me say the key to success is knowing how to effectively scale the business.

There are hills and valleys of creativity. Occasionally, you’re filled with all sorts of ideas on how to grow and improve, to meet more customer needs, to expand markets or offerings. It’s often difficult to select the one to focus on but it’s imperative you do. Don’t launch multiple big projects at once. You’ll spend a lot more time getting them off the ground because your attention and focus will be diluted.

5. Go to the cloud.

Years ago, if you left a file at the office, you were out of luck unless you went back in. Today, you can access all of your files, photos, videos, and projects from the cloud. There are free options like Google Drive and Dropbox as well as paid options if you need more storage.

Not only is cloud hosting more efficient, it provides some peace of mind. While moving to the cloud doesn’t save you from hackers (you still need to worry about security), it does ensure that if a physical disaster affects your office or business, your files and important information will remain intact.

6. Learn when “done” is better than “perfect.”

Some tasks require exacting specifics and it’s important to get it right, like launching a space shuttle, doing your taxes, or building a bridge. While with other tasks it’s better to have them complete than done over and over trying to get it perfect - like stocking shelves, for instance. Recognizing what has to be perfect, and what’s better just getting it finished is an important step to better efficiency and an easier business life. And once those things are complete, let them go.

7. Join your chamber.

Finally, most people still don’t understand the immense help a Chamber of Commerce can be. Not only can we put you in touch with more potential customers, we can also be a place of learning about business tips and trends, and a group that can help connect you with like-minded business owners. Best of all, you’re not paying per hour for this advice. You’re getting it for the relatively low cost of membership.

There’s no reason to make your business life any harder than your job requires. Look for ways to streamline your operations and you’ll have more time on your hands and less stress.