Small Businesses

Check These Productivity Tips from Business Leaders

  • 4 min Read
  • June 17, 2020

Author

Tasnim Ahmed
Tasnim Ahmed

Tasnim Ahmed is a content writer at Escalon Business Services who enjoys writing on a multitude of subjects that include finops, peopleops, risk management, entrepreneurship, VC and startup culture. Based in Delhi NCR, she previously contributed to ANI, Qatar Tribune, Marhaba, Havas Worldwide, and curated content for top-notch brands in the PR sphere. On weekends, she loves to explore the city on a motorcycle and binge watch new OTT releases with a plateful of piping hot dumplings!

Table of Contents

Do you ever feel like the day gets away from you? This can be common among entrepreneurs, but it doesn’t have to be your reality. By practicing time management skills, you can more carefully schedule out your day, ensure that your time is spent efficiently and get more done.

With this in mind, we’ve pulled together some tips straight from business leaders that can help you stay productive.

Schedule Everything — Even Personal Time

One common problem among business owners is the issue of dealing with disruptions — they can throw your whole day off and prevent you from addressing important responsibilities. But you can cut your disruptions considerably by scheduling out every part of your day, including personal time, says Anurag Pal, CEO of Escalon Services.

“It’s very important to maintain a daily/weekly/monthly routine,” Pal says. “In addition, ensure that you exercise. It’s very easy to become lethargic and irritable, or to let events overwhelm you — so ensure you get plenty of exercise and make sure to schedule it.”

Of course, you’ll still face disruptions, but there will be fewer of them — and you’ll be better prepared to deal with them if the rest of your day moves efficiently. Take those distractions in stride, and accept them as part of the process.

Maintain To-Do Lists

It’s helpful to start each day at the same time so you don’t fall behind and you can more easily get into your routine, says Sarah Lerche, chief financial officer with Escalon Services. As you go through your scheduled day, you might find it helpful to keep to-do lists and check the items off throughout the day. It can provide you with a feeling of accomplishment to cross tasks off the list, whether they’re large or small, Lerche says.

She also suggests taking breaks during the day. “Do something else for 30 minutes to an hour — go for a walk, listen to music, etc.,” she adds. This can help clear your mind significantly.

Don’t Try and Participate in Everything

Entrepreneurs are curious by nature, and often want to join in every webinar they come across so they can learn new information. But you shouldn’t try and attend them all, or you’ll run out of time to get to your other responsibilities.

In some cases, you can delegate some to your team, Pal says. “Have them send summaries to relevant team members.” Or, he suggests, you can register and then listen to the recordings when you have time.

He also recommends maintaining a cohesive workstation space so you always have a sense of normalcy, particularly one where you’re comfortable and you know where everything is, since that will help you minimize distractions.

Maintain Structure in Your off Hours

You shouldn’t abandon the idea of having a schedule during evenings and weekends, Lerche says. You can add online exercise classes to your evening schedule, and on weekends, you should try and do your personal errands so weekdays and weekends feel different from one another, she notes.

Check out These Additional Productivity Tips

In addition to the strategies above, entrepreneurs should consider instituting some of these productivity practices into their lives:

  • Maintain a work-life balance
  • Outline your days in advance
  • Limit distractions in your work life
  • Tackle your most difficult tasks first
  • Take advantage of your commute time
  • Prioritize your emails and tasks with multi-screens
  • Write down your daily goals and accomplishments
  • Keep your weekend to relax and refuel for the week ahead
  • Schedule daily breaks or take a break when you are not feeling productive anymore
  • Know when to say “no” — avoid anything that is not in line with your work or that’s unproductive
  • Utilize apps and technology to improve efficiency and productivity, and to organize your schedule
  • Limit your meetings — If you must have them, make sure they are focused, punctual and effective

Talk to our team today to learn how Escalon can help take your company to the next level.

  • Expertise you can trust

    Our team is made up of seasoned professionals who bring years of industry experience to the table. You gain a trusted advisor who understands your business inside out.

  • Quality and consistency

    Say goodbye to the hassles of hiring, training and managing in-house finance teams. You will never have to worry about unexpected leave of absence or retraining new employees.

  • Scalability and Flexibility

    Whether you’re a small business or a global powerhouse, our solutions scale with your needs. We eliminate inefficiencies, reduce costs and help you focus on growing your business.

Contact Us Today!

Tap into the latest insights from experts in your industry

Accounting & Finance

CFO vs Controller: How Startups Can Benefit from Both

CFO vs Controller: How Startups Can Benefit from Both  As companies grow, managing finances and accounting becomes increasingly important. A...

Read More
Small Businesses

The ROI of Outsourcing Business Services: How to Measure Your Investment’s Impact 

The ROI of Outsourcing Business Services: How to Measure Your Investment’s Impact  In a world where every dollar must count,...

Read More
People Management & HR

2025 Employment Law Updates: What to Know

As we step into 2025, businesses across the country face several important updates in labor laws and employee benefits. Staying...

Read More
Startups

5 Signs Your Startup Needs an Outsourced CFO  

5 Signs Your Startup Needs an Outsourced CFO   Startups often operate with lean teams, but as they grow, financial complexity...

Read More
Leadership & Growth

CG Startups: How to Keep Costs Low While Scaling Operations 

Consumer Goods Startups: How to Keep Costs Low While Scaling Operations  Scaling a consumer goods startup requires a careful balancing...

Read More
Press Releases

Escalon Expands Its Reach: Full Stack Finance and Early Growth Join Forces with Industry Leader 

Escalon Expands Its Reach: Full Stack Finance and Early Growth Join Forces with Industry Leader  In a strategic move that...

Read More
Taxes

Delaware Annual Review: What Series A-C Startups Must Know to Stay Compliant 

Delaware Annual Review: What Series A-C Startups Must Know to Stay Compliant  For startups incorporated in Delaware, staying compliant is...

Read More
Taxes

Tax Planning for Startups: Preparing for Your First Tax Filing

Tax Planning for Startups: Preparing for Your First Tax Filing as a Growing Business  For many startups, the first major...

Read More
Taxes

Unlock Tax Savings with the R&D Tax Credit

As a startup, managing cash flow and minimizing expenses are critical to your business's survival and growth. One often-overlooked opportunity...

Read More