Technology can seem overwhelming, but if applied well, it can make life easier for under-the-pump business owners
There’s no doubt recent advances in technology have made working much more efficient, however, many SME owners and managers feel busier than ever.
While most business owners expect to take on a lot of work, the constant need to attend to small tasks can leave them exhausted and unproductive.
Think To Act founder Paul Higgins estimates roughly 50% of a professional’s day is misused due to interruptions from technology: “It’s a massive impost on people’s thinking time, technology. Obviously, it’s a double-edged sword. If used well, it can aid. If not, it can hinder.”
Attending to emails or other technological interruptions might seem like productive work, but the ‘busy-ness’ trap – the constant feeling of being busy without actual concrete results – can be a symptom of unproductive working.
Simon Kinsella, executive director of the Institute of Performance and Wellbeing, says these distractions can impact an organisation’s financial health: “Inefficient individuals can really slow a business down.”
Disruptions to a business’s flow of work can lead to mistakes, which cause extra work or even fines or penalties. The busy-ness trap, says Higgins, can also increase hidden opportunity costs. For example, a business owner with their head buried in technology might miss an important conversation that leads to a deal.
But remember, when implemented effectively, technology can also help business owners recover their time. Here are six expert tips to escape the busy-ness trap:
Prioritising can be one of the hardest tasks for business owners. “One of the big problems that small business owners have is that they wear so many hats,” Kinsella explains.
“They can be the face of the business, the marketing department, the IT department, the accounts department, and the HR department.”
If all these tasks need personal attention, allocate specific times in the week to address each of them individually. Higgins also recommends making a master task list at the beginning of each day so vital duties are handled methodically.
Unfiltered emails lead to so much wasted time, says Higgins. He recommends incorporating a system to filter messages. Some might hire an assistant to help sort through emails; others set up filters through their email accounts to automatically designate certain messages to certain folders, to be addressed at the appropriate time. Simply unsubscribe from emails that go unread.
Rather than using productive office time to attend to messages or menial tasks, Kinsella recommends working on the go with mobile technology to ramp up out-of-office productivity.
“If you can respond to messages while travelling to or from work, or while waiting to pick up the kids from school or at the airport, you can get tasks out of the way that would take up time in the office or in the evenings at home.”
“Outsource anything your staff or external suppliers can do for you,” advises Kinsella.
“Keep working on staff to build their capacity – it’s great for their engagement at work, and helps you out as they become more effective. Try to shape your role so you are doing mostly things you are naturally good at, and naturally enjoy.”
Unproductive back-and-forth between staff members can be avoided with automated technology, explains Higgins: “Use an automatic calendar system rather than going through the ping pong of ‘Where should we meet? What time?’”
Other software that automates payments, transfers between devices and task reminders can also cut time.
Technology can streamline communications, reducing the need for endless unnecessary emails.
“Shared diaries and project management platforms are great for working in teams,” says Kinsella.
With a methodical, practical approach to working, and by embracing the best technology available such as the cloud, managers can use IT to their advantage, rather than their detriment.
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Written by: Jessie Richardson
BlackBerry is for serious business people and the most demanding businesses – large and small – that want superior productivity, ultimate security and effective communications. BlackBerry cross-platform mobility solutions are completely redefining workplace productivity and pushing the boundaries to deliver truly connected and secured business environments today.
