Continuing from part 1 of this article, here are some more strategies you can use to manage your time effectively.

Take control of your filing
Few people like filing, but it is an important part of running any business successfully – you need to be able to retrieve any document quickly.

You should do your filing regularly – I do mine on a weekly basis.  Remember, the simplest systems work best!

Paper filing system
System needs to be simple and easy to maintain otherwise there is no point. I make use of a two-drawer filing cabinet and use a colour-coding system:

Drawer 1 (yellow files) includes general and financial information
Drawer 2 (pink files) includes marketing, projects and client information

Electronic documents filing system
Ideally, this should mirror your paper-based system to make things easy.

Email filing system
You should make sure that your inbox does not get cluttered. Again, this should mirror your paper and electronic filing system.

Back-up system
It is imperative to have a back-up system and back up your work regularly. You can use of an online system, an external drive or a memory stick.

Take control and delegate
A support team is a group of people to whom you can delegate certain aspects of your business and personal life. They might include: a virtual assistant, a cleaner, a gardener or a childcare assistant.
Who could you have in your support team?

Set deadlines and prioritise
When delegating tasks, set deadlines and prioritise tasks for the person doing the work.

Clear instructions and information
You need to be clear with your instructions and information to avoid any misunderstandings.

Give advanced notice
You need to give advanced notice of required tasks, so that people have enough time to complete the work.

Communication is key
Communication is the key to an effective relationship with those to whom you delegate work to, but it is a two-way process. And, remember to treat people how you would like to be treated!

By taking some time now to review and implement some of the tips in this five-step strategy, you will save a great deal of time in the future.

Your action plan
What strategies are you going to implement?  Please share in the comments below as well as the improvements you’ve made to your productivity

What strategies are you going to implement or do you have some other top tips?  Please share in the comments below

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