Category: Time Management

january 2023

1/26/2023

Common Mistakes That Business Owners Should Avoid
by Pam Weiser

The new year is here! Can you believe it? It’s the perfect time to start the year off right, with effective business strategies. As a business owner, it’s easy to continue doing what you know in the same manner, but when you don’t use your time wisely or overwork yourself, you can become burned out and lose motivation and productivity.

Here are some common mistakes made by business owners, and some helpful tips to improve your work habits.

Mistake #1 - Being disorganized.

When you’re disorganized, you are less effective and less efficient.
Deadlines may get missed, you may experience loss of control, and your accuracy may decrease, because you’re stressed. When you can’t make deadlines on time, you lose money.

Instead: Get organized!

Keep a list of everything you want to get done in the next few weeks.
Prioritize your tasks.
- Focus on the most urgent and important items. The lower down on the list that the unimportant things fall, the less stress they will create.

Mistake #2 - Trying to do everything yourself (and not doing it very well)

When you do everything yourself, you can’t possibly do all of the tasks to the best of your ability, and you become constrained by time. Maybe you dislike doing the operational and administrative tasks and they’re taking forever to complete. There is a time and place to do things for yourself (e.g. strategies and high level tasks) and when to decide to offload them.

Instead: Delegate!

Decide what tasks you want to hand off.
Delegation frees up mental space and time for you!
Hire someone who has the experience to get the job done.
- Initially, you’ll need to do some training, but the outcome should be a partnership with someone you trust and you’ll get your time back to be in front of customers and clients.

Mistake #3 - Poor time management

Poor time management can cause rushing to complete projects, mistakes, and burnout. If you fall behind, you likely need to work until project completion, which can affect your work-life balance, and may ultimately affect your mental health.

Instead: Explore better ways to manage your time!

Use your calendar to block focus time and stick to it.
Work when you have the most energy.
Break up your larger tasks into smaller ones and do the most difficult task first.
Focus on one task to completion at a time.

When you are more productive, you can achieve your goals and the reward comes when you achieve those goals. By adjusting and developing better work habits, you create a positive path toward success.

If you’re struggling with where to start, let’s set up some time to chat.

“The great dividing line between success and failure can be expressed in five words: 'I did not have time.'" -Franklin Field

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/

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september 2022

9/29/2022

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Work Smarter, Not Harder
by Pam Weiser

The common saying “work smarter, not harder” originated in the 1930s. Allen F. Morgenstern, an industrial engineer and the creator of the work simplification program, coined the term. The program’s intent was to increase the ability of people to produce more with less effort.

We all want to be productive and get things done more quickly and effectively. No one likes to be stressed and overworked. In order to do that, working smarter is a much better strategy than working harder.

What does that mean?

It means that you’re in control of your own time, when you strategize and plan your priorities. How time is managed will be different for everyone, but there are some practical tips which everyone can apply, to produce more with less effort.

Plan and prioritize your most important tasks, based on your energy level - likely first thing in the morning, if you’re a morning person or late afternoon, if you’re a night owl.
Work in shorter blocks - 90-120 minutes at a time. Track your time using a time tracking tool or app. (I use Clockify, and it’s free!)
Delegate more tasks. You should be focusing on high impact activities. When the small tasks are becoming more challenging to complete, ask for help.
Stop multitasking. Focus on one task to completion at a time.
Take a break. Listen to your body. Step away when your brain is tired. Turn off your cell phone and relax. You’re not saving lives…everyone will be okay waiting for an hour, while you take care of yourself.
Stop striving for perfection. You don’t need to sacrifice your high standards, but completing the project has to be done. Don’t be so hard on yourself, if the client likes what you’re producing.

Being more intentional with your time will increase your productivity and increase your effectiveness. Working smarter, not harder allows you to focus on the important tasks, increases motivation, and gets you closer to your goals.

When you’re ready to delegate and/or discuss how to work smarter, let’s schedule a 30 minute chat.

“It’s not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.” - Bruce Lee

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/

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MAY 2022

5/24/2022

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Time Management Tips for the Disorganized
by Pam Weiser

There are so many reasons why people become disorganized. It could be procrastination, lack of focus, too much on their plate, or even a major life event. Whatever the reason, disorganization can wreak havoc on life, and the feeling of being overwhelmed can stop projects and simple tasks from moving forward, creating unnecessary stress.

Time management plays a big part in helping the disorganized become more organized and productive. As someone who manages multiple client projects while helping them become organized and efficient, I am constantly reminding myself of the importance of managing my own time.

Here are some of the things I think about when it comes to time management, on a daily basis:

Evaluate where you need to spend your time. This could be answering emails, focus time, exercise, or meeting with clients.
- Make a to-do list of all workweek tasks which need to be completed, how long each will take, and their deadlines.
Prioritize each of those tasks.
- What are the essential tasks?
- Do they need to be done at the same time each day?
Use a calendar or time tracking tool. Once you have figured out the to-do list and the priorities, put the essential tasks into the calendar and schedule the remaining tasks around those tasks.
- Use calendar notifications, so that you’re reminded to move on to the next task or meeting.
- Remember to block time for breaks, or for things that come up last minute.
Learn to delegate tasks. Even with evaluating, prioritizing, and using a calendar, you might find that delegating tasks will help you free up even more time to complete the ever growing to-do list.
- Training a freelancer or an assistant might seem overwhelming right now, but in the long run, taking things off of your plate is very worth your time.
You might have to say no. It’s okay to say no. Burnout and work overload never helped anyone.
- However, there might be times where you just can’t say no, and this might be another option to consider outsourcing your tasks to a freelancer or assistant.

Remember that this is not a once and done situation, and you can always adjust to accommodate new recurring tasks and meetings. Time management is not easy, and this is a practice which needs to be done daily. Don’t be afraid to try different ideas or options for time management, if something isn’t working for you.

I would be happy to discuss how I can help get you organized, and/or when you’re ready to delegate, please reach out for a free 30 minute discovery call.

“No business can succeed in any great degree without being properly organized.”
- James Cash Penney

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/

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April 2022

4/26/2022

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Ways to Use Your Business Operations Manager
by Pam Weiser

You might be asking, “What does a Business Operations Manager do?” Basically, a Business Operations Manager is a person who performs operational tasks on behalf of busy people. If you’re busy, that task list may become endless and daunting. For many entrepreneurs, that task list contains many of the functions required to get their business set up and then maintained. If there was someone who could assist you, and alleviate the overwhelm, wouldn’t you want to utilize their help? The answer is YES!

That’s where I come in!

I use my years of professional expertise, along with my resourcefulness, tech savviness, organizational skills, and proactivity to help you get ahead of your list. Wouldn’t it be awesome to free up your time, so that you can actually focus on running your business? The answer is YES! Not only will having an assistant free up your time, but the stress of getting things done falls off of your shoulders, and the convenience of having a partner to help, becomes a crucial part of running your business.

Here are some of the unlimited ways you can use a Business Operations Manager:

Calendar & Email Management
CRM Implementation & Maintenance
Digital Systems Organization & Management
Event Planning
Bookkeeping & Invoicing
Content Writing and Editing for Newsletters & Blogs
Website Refresh

With a limited number of hours in the day, you might be doing the bare minimum just to get by, and maybe not doing it very well. Let’s talk about how I can help elevate your business systems and processes, and take your business to the next level. Are you ready to have that conversation? The answer is YES!

Schedule a free 30 minute discovery call with me today!

“Don’t spread yourself too thin. Focus trumps freneticism any day.” - John Coleman

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/

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march 2022

3/24/2022

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Don’t Should All Over Yourself
by Pam Weiser

I was sitting in a networking meeting today and someone said, “Don’t should all over yourself”. “Should” is defined as indicating what is probable. I immediately started thinking about how I need to change my mindset and verbiage from “I should do xxx” to “I will do xxx”. It’s easy to say that we should do something, which leaves a way out. In theory, if we will do something and commit to it, there is motivation and accountability to actually get it done. It’s also turning what could potentially be negative, into something positive.

I talk to a lot of entrepreneurs, who say that they are overwhelmed or overworked and “should” hire someone to help them. There’s that “should” word again. “Should” allows the pattern to continue, when they don’t have time to find help. Having little time to do much else but catch up, leaves little time for the priorities which really need their focus.

The question these entrepreneurs need to ask themselves is “what is most important, right now?”

Is it time management?
Is it organizing your digital systems?
Is it following up on customer calls or emails?

In essence, “what do I need to do to help move my business forward, TODAY?” Oftentimes, that is hiring an assistant.

There will be a training and ramp up period, but when you find your flow, you WILL have more time during the work day. And once you find this partner, you WILL be able to offload more tasks, which WILL free up your time to put focus where you need it. Ultimately, the time it takes to actually hire someone is worth the effort in the long run.

So, ask yourself…”should you hire someone to help?” or instead say, “I will hire someone to help.”?

I’m here to help walk you through how I can help. Let’s chat.

No “shoulds” allowed.

You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.
- Stephen King

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/

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March 2022

3/2/2022

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4 Great Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs and How a Business Operations Manager Can Help
by Pam Weiser

Do you want to become a successful entrepreneur? Here are some great habits to help you succeed and why a business operations manager can help you overcome some common challenges.

1. Focus on the highest value tasks. When you focus on the daily grunt work, you take time away from focusing on the bigger picture and your best chance at achieving ROI and PROFITS!

Learning to delegate is important and a Business Operations Manager, who is experienced and knowledgeable, will take some of these low level tasks off of your plate. An operations manager can help with things like scheduling meetings, doing research, updating your CRM, or managing your social media.

2. Stay organized. Disorganization can cause a large amount of stress and the loss of focus. You might have a deadline approaching or you’re procrastinating with doing other things.

A good business operations manager can help with creating processes and procedures to help streamline efficiency. Make better use of your time and work smarter - not harder!

3. Improve your time management. Poor time management can cause missed deadlines, rushing to complete projects, and burnout. If you fall behind, you likely need to work until project completion, which can affect your work-life balance, and may ultimately affect your mental health.

Allow a Business Operations Manager to help you with these projects. They can do research, create your presentation slides, proofread your work, and schedule time to focus on your calendar. Wouldn’t it be nice to leave work early, for a change?

4. Encourage teamwork. A successful entrepreneur can’t possibly do everything themselves. By delegating, you maximize efficiency and get closer to your goals.

Using an experienced Business Operations Manager not only helps you, but it improves their own professional development, creativity, and skillset.

As you can imagine, being disorganized, having poor time management, and focusing on the low level tasks may all result in lowered productivity and poor quality of work. A good Business Operations Manager will help your business run efficiently and smoothly. Because you’ve got better things to do!

“Efficiency and focus are the keys to success.” - Robert Crais

Be The Wiser
https://www.bethewiser.net/

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Blog

january 2023

Common Mistakes That Business Owners Should Avoid
by Pam Weiser

september 2022

Work Smarter, Not Harder
by Pam Weiser

MAY 2022

Time Management Tips for the Disorganized
by Pam Weiser

April 2022

Ways to Use Your Business Operations Manager
by Pam Weiser

march 2022

Don’t Should All Over Yourself
by Pam Weiser

March 2022

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Blog

january 2023

Common Mistakes That Business Owners Should Avoidby Pam Weiser

september 2022

Work Smarter, Not Harderby Pam Weiser

MAY 2022

Time Management Tips for the Disorganizedby Pam Weiser

April 2022

Ways to Use Your Business Operations Manager​by Pam Weiser

march 2022

Don’t Should All Over Yourselfby Pam Weiser

March 2022

Categories

Archives

Common Mistakes That Business Owners Should Avoid
by Pam Weiser

Work Smarter, Not Harder
by Pam Weiser

Time Management Tips for the Disorganized
by Pam Weiser

Ways to Use Your Business Operations Manager
by Pam Weiser

Don’t Should All Over Yourself
by Pam Weiser