© zoutedrop


There never seems to be enough time in the day to do the things we want to. Especially for our business. We set out with a to-do list but after the first phone call, time just gets away from us.

Here are five simple techniques to increase your company's productivity.

1. Have a plan; write down your goals. As simple as it sounds, most companies don't have their goals on paper. They haven't articulated exactly what they want. If you draw a map for your goals its much easier to get there.

2. Minimize distractions. If you need to finish a project or a proposal, turn off your cell phone for a while. If you need to spend an evening working, let your family know you need an hour of quiet time. We all multitask but if we want to complete a big project quickly we need to focus.

3. Plan an "office" day. I started doing this the past year and it has helped me tremendously. I set aside one day each week where I don't plan anything. I usually make it a Monday, so I can catch up on anything that I missed during the weekend. This is my day for emails, phone calls, writing and catch-up. I don't ever meet with clients on that day. It keeps me from getting overwhelmed by paperwork later.

4. Keep every conversation. If you don't have a file for every project or client, you need to get organized. Once you do, make sure you save every conversation. If I talk to someone on the phone, I write a note about what we discussed and put it in the file. If we emailed about the project, I save that too. When the project is completed I put it into a "completed" folder in case I ever need to refer back to it. Its saved me tons of time and I don't have to remember everything.

5. Rewards (and competition). Believe it or not, rewards can greatly improve productivity. Rewards don't have to be monetary, they can be little presents, or outings. They can even be praise (employee of the month?). But if you give your employees a goal to work for and a prize at the end, they'll work that much harder, especially if they are competing against eachother. And don't forget that you you deserve rewards too! Sometimes that reward can be a little "me" time: like taking a night off to watch a movie or just a nap.

What do you do to increase productivity?