When there are more todos on your list than there are hours in the day, it’s probably tempting — or even necessary at times — to try and bite off as much as you can possibly digest, let alone chew. Of course, it’s extremely common for small business owners both brand new and well established to be very busy. Orders need to be fulfilled, vendors must be communicated with, and companies like The Commercial Finance Group need to keep your cash flow in a healthy state via factoring or asset-based lending when said vendors aren’t paying on time.
In terms of day-to-day operations, that’s barely scratching the surface, but that’s also enough to make you scratch your head when deciding how to go about tackling your day.
In today’s blog, with respect to our previous post about entrepreneurial mental health, we’ll be touching on how to manage your small business in a way that’s conducive to good health. Let’s take a look.
Realize That Multitasking Doesn’t Truly Work
Multitasking is only effective if you’re lying to yourself. Sure, it’s possible to give a fraction of your total attention to multiple things at once, but you’re doing exactly that: giving only part of your attention. That’s going to produce partial results and, ultimately, sub-par quality work. No aspiring entrepreneur, overwhelmed or otherwise, wants “sub-par” to be a descriptor for their business.
The truth is, our brains just aren’t wired to work on multiple (dissimilar) things at one given time. Without delving too deep into the science of multitasking and cognition, your working memory, or your short-memory that’s used to process what’s going on the present moment, can only “hold on” to about five to ten given things at once. If you split up your working memory among several different things, you’re not going to fully remember what you would have recalled had you fully focused on one particular task.
If you can’t remember it, you’re not using it. If you’re not using it, you’re losing it!
Take a Deep Breath And Step Back From Your Work
Before you finish your third cup of coffee, ignore our statements about the ineffectiveness of multitasking and dive in headfirst, we urge you to step back and rationalize your workload for fear that you’re going to get burnt out and frustrated too quickly. This is by no means saying that you should procrastinate and putt off what needs to be done — after all, this is the livelihood of your own company that’s concerned — but taking a few minutes to take a talk, hydrate, or catch a breath of fresh air can really help you visualize your workload with a renewed headspace.
Now, you’ll be ready to sensibly approach the day’s demands in a way that doesn’t involve multitasking.
Organizing And Batching Your Schedule
When your mind is already on a certain train of thought, it only makes sense to complete items in bunches that relate to that same train of thought. Even menial tasks that involve the same repetitive movements or physical actions are best done in batches, so long as you’re taking somewhat of a break here and there.
For example, instead of pausing what you’re doing to answer another stream of emails, only to spend valuable time transitioning your mental gears, consider blocking off a certain portion of the day to read and respond to those emails. Additionally, if possible, try to align your schedule in a way that consolidates any meetings with clients or vendors in one morning, afternoon, or entire day as opposed to one meeting every single day. Make sure to give yourself a break in between different meetings to allow yourself to shift gears again.
Don’t Be Afraid To Say “No”
If your default answer is “yes” to whatever someone asks, you have a serious problem on your hands (or you’re going to in the near future). Not only will your plate begin to stack up to beyond-unmanageable levels, but you’re going to let people down after you’ve gotten their hopes up and “promised” to do whatever it is that they asked about.
When you give an initial “no,” at least you’re not responsible for any false hope, and you’re also being honest.
Build Momentum By Starting With Easier Tasks
The feeling of productivity can breed the desire to be more productive. Don’t put off the big things forever, but by knocking out the small stuff first, you’ll feel good about your sense of completion and get some momentum rolling.
Alleviate Your Financial Worries With Our Small Business Lending Solutions
If something like “address cash flow issues” is on your todo list, rest assured knowing that The Commercial Finance Group can and will help your business get to a healthier financial state. Contact us for effective factoring and asset-based lending solutions.
