Most franchise owners dream of the perfect workday with plenty of customers, no distractions, no overtime, highly productive employees and balanced bills. Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? We all want our business to grow and run smoothly, but that is just a pipe dream on most days.
You do have some control over productivity and overall progress, but working more might not always be the right way to go when you wear multiple hats. The fact is that there is always a dip in productivity as your workday and workweek get longer. The one way to have your cake and eat it too is to work smarter. Here are some ways to achieve this:
Creating an action items’ list is an excellent way to add value to your franchise. However, not every item there would have the same value. Use task management software or any basic categorisation system that works for you, prioritising the most crucial tasks. Review these tasks at certain intervals and select three to four critical ones each day. Decide which ones you can accomplish before every workday ends.
For every task, especially the lengthier or more complex ones, track all the completed steps. It can be encouraging to see the progress you’ve made when the end seems very far away. Sometimes, you can feel a sense of accomplishment even when you are going through the motions and not just from the results alone. Check off the things you have completed every day, reviewing priorities for the next; it will give you a sense of accomplishment.
Even the most skilled and dedicated businesspersons are not excellent at everything. It’s a good idea to delegate specific tasks to those who have the skills to handle them. Utilise other’s talents, and you will see your production levels rise. Whether it’s related to fleet maintenance glitches or payroll, someone else might be able to handle these tasks faster than and better than you. When you delegate some tasks, it allows you to focus on jobs that demand your skills and expertise.
Remove certain decisions; it will help you focus better on the bigger decisions. Create routines that help you streamline things, plan and decide more efficiently. Once you learn to schedule your day, you will have fewer decisions to make, allowing you to work on the crucial tasks. When you have a set schedule, you will be less tired and more alert when you ultimately need to make some pivotal decisions.
Every business owner will encounter communication challenges. However, if you upskill yourself, it will help to reduce misunderstandings. When you are more collaborative, you will also take less time to overcome avoidable mistakes. Better communication helps your teams to work more efficiently as well.
Automating various functions is an excellent way to reduce errors, giving you more time to do the things you need to prioritise. There is employee scheduling software and task management software that small businesses can use for free. Your office-related software suite would have some other software too. Using apps will help you streamline recurring and repetitive tasks, and you can use your faculties to tackle the tougher ones.
Running a franchise is no child’s play, and sometimes it can be quite overwhelming as well. This aspect makes it crucial that you set aside time to do things that will help you unwind and de-stress. It will help you manage things in a better way, and you will be able to work far more efficiently.
You need to find a technique and process that works best for you. It will help you maintain a good work-life balance. When you start working smarter, you will be less stressed, feel a greater sense of accomplishment and run your franchise successfully.
If you want any more information on working smarter, contact the experts at The Franchise Institute. You can call us on 1300 855 435 or fill in this contact form, and one of our experts will contact you as soon as possible.
Thanks for reading,
The Franchise Institute Team
1300 855 435
