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Tips To Become More Productive When You’re Self Employed

 

If you are self-employed being more productive has many benefits to offer. To begin with, you will be able to get more done at the same time, with the same resources and in some cases fewer resources. So let’s have a look at what productivity is and some of the ways you can become more productive when you work for your self.

 

What Is Productivity?

It is a measure of how efficient a person is at getting work done within a given period of time.

Usually, it refers to the amount of work produced per hour or per member of staff in a given time period. For the majority of businesses, productivity is usually measured either by profits generated or by some combination of tasks completed and time spent.

 

What Things Cause It To Fall?

Some of the causes of low productivity are distractions such as emails, using social media and phone calls. Another one is not being organised, or having a system for keeping things in order. Finally, multi-tasking has been shown to cause mental blocks due to the constant changing of tasks. It is better to concentrate on one thing at a time till it is completed, before moving on to the next task.

 

What Can You Do To Improve It?

It can be improved by making use of technology:

Tech can be used to do the heavy lifting so that you are free to concentrate on important tasks. It can help you automate your day to day admin such as handling emails, letters, and phone calls.

Also, important but time-consuming tasks such as bookkeeping and accounting can be sped up by using software. Your whole daily routine can also be optimised using software. There are lots of productivity tools available, that can help you become more productive.

 

It can be improved by taking care of yourself:

Getting plenty of sleep is a must. A good nights sleep helps you regenerate from the prior day and you wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the challenges of the day ahead.

Eat a healthy balanced diet, gives your body the fuel it needs for the day and the raw materials it needs to keep your body healthy.

Don’t forget to get some regular exercise so as to help reduce the stresses of the day, and improve your general stress tolerance.

Try to take lots of small breaks. If you can, split your work day into 90-minute blocks, with small breaks in between them, as this has been shown to improve concentration.

 

It can be improved by setting daily goals:

Set aside a small amount of time at the beginning of the day to plan your day out and set some goals. Make a checklist of the things you have to do today in order of importance, and tackle the highest priority items first. At the end of the day check off what you have done. Make sure you concentrate only on the things on the checklist during the day, as this will keep you focused on your goals.

 

It can be improved by outsourcing:

Outsourcing tasks that take up a lot of time, or tasks you are not good at doing, will free up your time and reduce your stress levels. You can use this extra time to focus on more important areas of your business.

For someone who is self-employed, becoming more productive is a combination of doing more of the things that make you more productive, while at the same time doing less of those things that reduce your productivity.

By making a few changes to the way you work, it is possible to become more productive, and while they might seem strange at first, they can help you increase your productivity.

 

How Technology Can Increase Your Productivity as a Tradesman

 

By now most tradesmen will be familiar with the use of technology at home, but not as many take advantage of it at work. You can use your phone or tablet to automate routine tasks so as to save you valuable time and energy throughout your working day. By making full use of the technology available today, your work days can become more productive.

Here are some of the reasons why tradesmen should consider using technology at work:

 

It Can Save You Time:

You can use your phone to search for and buy any equipment or materials you need for a job, on the spot. The alternative would be to physically go shopping for the goods, which can take up valuable time. You can also make and take payments on the go, as well as create bids and estimates for new work in a short space of time.

Project management software can be used to help you plan and complete large jobs on time. On a smaller scale, a daily task manager and timer can help you stay focused on the most important tasks for the day.

 

It Can Save You Money:

With your phone or tablet you can use price comparison sites to get the best prices for purchases, as well as checking for any special deal or discount coupons.

 

It Can Bring In New Opportunities:

Having an online presence such as your own website can lead to more jobs for your business and increase awareness of your brand. Also, you can use social media channels to interact with your target market whenever you choose for free. In addition to that tradesmen can also use apps to find work.

 

It Can Help You Solve Problems:

If you run into a problem on site that requires you to seek advice, you can easily go online and check to see if others have had similar problems and what their solutions were. If that is not enough, you can reach out to experts in your field.

You don’t have to carry lots of paperwork, you can store any information such as plans drawing contracts, quotations in the cloud, and access them when you are on site. You can also check for equipment manuals and other relevant data you might need.

 

Manage Your Business:

Technology can be a great help in the daily running of your business. With smart phones, you can communicate with clients and colleagues on the go via email, or one of the many internet call services. Using accounting apps or software on your smart device, you can do your all your bookkeeping including your budgeting, as well as keeping track of your daily expenses, and calculating vat and taxes.

It is also easy to send estimates and invoices in a timely a professional manner. With your camera on your smart phone, you can take photos of work on site either as proof of progress or for your portfolio of work. You can also store ideas any that come to you throughout the day with voice recorders that can transcribe to notes.

 

The smart phone or tablet can be used as your digital personal assistant, simplifying your day to day tasks with the use of software and applications. Many of the apps required are free, and they can be downloaded, installed and put to use in minutes.

There are many ways you can use technology to make your job easier, so go ahead and choose a piece of software or an app, give it a try and enjoy the benefits. Remember to do some research into each software or application you plan to use, as well as staying safe online.

 

 

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