When you run your own spa or massage practice or manage one, you probably feel there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish all the things you need to do to keep things running smoothly. The fact is that they may never be able to keep on top of everything each day, and so things will have to find their way to the back burner, or some may need to fall off the “to do” list.
There are hundreds – probably even thousands – of books on how to be more productive and articles on the topic online. Without spending more of the precious little time you have, you may want to try some of these tips to boost your productivity.
- Establish a weekly goal: Identify the most important task you need to accomplish each week and make it your number one goal. You may need to focus on a special marketing campaign for a summer skin treatment special or make calls to manufacturers about new retail products to meet client changing needs. Whatever your weekly priority is, don’t let other things get in the way.
- Embrace routine: Some people balk at routine, but establishing some ensures that necessary projects will get done and eliminate the stress that comes with trying to do everything at once. For example, if you know that you need to review retail inventory every few weeks, pick a day to do it and stick to it.
- Manage meetings: Set a goal and time limit for any meetings you set and ensure everyone understands when the meeting will end. Use a to-do list to make sure the meeting is as productive as possible.
- Delegate: You don’t need to do everything yourself. Look at your activities for the week and delegate where you can, providing the individual with as much information as possible and what kind of results you expect. If you have a small team, consider outsourcing certain responsibilities to a professional, such as helping with marketing or HR.
- Learn to say no: Don’t kill your productivity by getting involved every time you are asked. Be selective about what you agree to take on.
- Avoid the email/text black hole: Don’t get so distracted by messages that you fail to accomplish necessary tasks. Set aside certain times in the day - anywhere from three to five times a day is what most time management experts recommend – to check messages.
- Do dreaded tasks first: There are always tasks that you dislike doing. But by avoiding them, they end up hanging over your head. The best thing to do is to tackle them head-on and get them out of the way. Once they are accomplished, you’ll feel liberated and motivated to deal with all the other things on your plate.
- Group similar tasks: You maximize your time when your group tasks are similar. For example, if you need to set phone time aside to call clients, make calls to suppliers or other business associates.
- Understand when you are most productive: There are times in the day when you may be more creative than others. Schedule projects that require creative thinking during those times. If you find your mind is less active at other times, do more of the routine tasks then.
- Take breaks: Breaks help you refuel. Try to take them before you reach the point where you are losing concentration and starting to drift off.
These are just some ways to help make you more productive throughout the day. Try some or all and see which ones work for you.