You know the saying, “time is money.” It could not be truer when you are running a spa or massage therapy business. Like most small business owners or managers, your plate probably is spilling over with too many things to do. Yet, could it be that there are not enough hours in the day to get it all done because you are not utilizing your time as efficiently as possible?
Ask yourself these questions
If you are feeling overwhelmed and so continue to put off projects that could move the business along, it is time to look at how to do things more expediently to save time. Ask yourself these questions:
- Are you allowing too many interruptions throughout your day to sidetrack you from key tasks?
- Are you unable to delegate?
- Are you unable to prioritize projects and so jump into too many at once?
- Are you overcommitting your time to clients, professional organizations, volunteer work and even friends and family?
- Are you a perfectionist and cannot move on to a new project until something meets your rigorous standards?
If you have answered yes to any or all the above, it is time to make changes in the way you manage your time. Here are tips:
Manage interruptions: Interruptions are a reality of the workplace, whether employees need answers to questions, vendors come by or call to offer new products or check on current supplies, or clients call to change appointments and keep you on the phone with other questions. You cannot put everyone off, but there are ways to manage interruptions throughout the day so they do not derail something you are working on that needs to be completed in a timely fashion.
For starters, do not constantly check your phone or computer for messages. Set aside times in the day to check. Close the door to your office and indicate to staff you need uninterrupted time unless the need is urgent. Ask vendors to send information ahead and arrange times in person or on the phone to talk.
Learn to delegate: Remind yourself that you do not need to do it all yourself. Delegate to staff or find outside resources, where necessary. For example, marketing is essential and you do not want to let communication slide with clients and prospects through social media, advertising, website updates and other channels. If you do not have the internal resources to handle marketing activities, there are many consultants who can help. The same goes for bookkeeping and other operational activities.
Prioritize: Do not just start whittling away at your “to do” list. Clear you head and take time to think about everything you need to do. Make a list of tasks and projects. Keep in mind that not everything that crosses your desk is something you must deal with immediately. Next, set limits on yourself to do the most important things each day. Maybe there are three things that you absolutely need to do on a Monday to make sure the week gets off to the right start. For example, calling, e-mailing, or texting clients to confirm appointments might be your biggest priority. No shows will set back your week and your revenue
Scale back commitments: There is value in participating in industry organizations and supporting not-for-profit organizations that raise the profile of your business. But outside demands can become so great, they begin to impinge on time needed to run your business. Be selective about what you take on outside your business so that you have the time and energy to run your business as efficiently and profitably as you can.
Stop aiming for perfection: The pursuit of excellence can get in the way of meeting goals. By aiming for excellence, you can set implausible standards that ultimately add unproductive time to projects. When your goal is “all or nothing” you also set unrelenting expectations for others that can create unnecessary stress and anxiety for all involved. Striving for perfection also can take the joy out of work. You may face an uphill battle to achieve stringent goals. As it turns out, “good enough” may drive greater success. Learn to celebrate even minor successes. [1]
Have the right tools
Having the right tools will also help your time management. Online ordering streamlines the ordering process and ensures your backbar has the products you always need and retail supplies do not run out. BIOTONE offers 24/7 ordering enabling you to order at your convenience.
You will also want to consider other technology tools such as online booking and customer relationship management software. The latter makes it easy to send clients updates about new offerings and tracks their treatments and retail purchases so you do not need to spend unnecessary time reviewing their history when they book appointments.
Time management is critical for business owners. Managing your time means meeting goals, staying productive and enjoying your work.
Hashtags:
#masssagetherapy #masssagetherapist #timemanagement #timemanagementtips #productivitytips
[1] Britt, Robert Roy, “Stop Being a Perfect! It’s Bad for Your Business,” CO, Accessed July 11, 2024. https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/thrive/perfectionism-bad-for-business