All small business owners have the same complaint... there's not enough time in the day, to do everything that they need to do.  When you own your own business, you take on many roles which can eat up your day. "It's easy to see why one in four small business owners say they'd pay $500 for an extra hour each day." writes Zoe Fox on Mashable.com. 

The most valuable asset to a small business owner is TIME.  This comes before all other resources; even computers and cell phones.  "Among small business owners polled by an eVoice survey," says Fox, "72% report working longer hours, and 40% say they take less vacation time than those who are not self-employed."

The Struggle to Juggle

"The top two worries in small businesses-even more than making a profit-are the hefty responsibilities of taking on multiple roles and not having enough time to get everything done." says Mavenlink, a project management company. According to their survey of small business owners, the struggle to juggle all the different hats an owner has to wear, makes it hard to keep ahead of the competition.

What role do small business owners like the least? 

A whopping 41% of business owners dislike accounting tasks.  Sales and office management is disliked by a little over 20 percent, followed by marketing tasks which is disliked by 14 percent of owners.

Advanced technology doesn't mean greater efficiency.  "Using multiple devices forced users to split their attention between applications and causes an even greater disconnect." states Mavenlink.

The Top Time-Wasters

So, what's taking up most of your time?  Mavenlink lists the top 10 scenarios that eat up your time and how many business owners feel this impacts their day.

1. Waiting for Information: 94%
2. Unscheduled Communication: 91%
3. Inefficient Coordination: 80%
4. Planning to Plan: 79%
5. Barriers to Collaboration: 78%
6. Lower Productivity Offsite: 59%
7. Customer Complaints: 57%
8. Business Trip Communication Expenses: 55%
9. Trips to "Synch Up": 54%
10. Working at Home: 42%

How Do You Get More Time?

Sync your systems:  Mavenlink suggests that you should unify your communication and collaboration systems to boost productivity.

Prioritize Your Day:  Each morning, suggests the site, prioritize your tasks and work towards completing the most important tasks and ignore the rest until these are done.

Focus on What You Do Best:  You can't do everything!  There are many sites online who can do payroll for you or even travel planning.  Stick with what you know and delegate the rest!

Use technology to your advantage:  Integrate Mobile Apps into your business. "They help owners conduct business from anywhere." Mavenlink reminds us. "78 percent of small business owners believe their company's use of mobile apps saves time, and a whopping 100 percent of surveyed one-person businesses using apps say they've saved time."

Don't Get Overwhelmed:  Use technology with moderation.  "Designate specific times during the day to check your mobile devices," suggests the survey, "but don't always have your hands full. Remember: multitasking does not always result in greater productivity."

Use these great tips to help you manage your time in your small business.

Read the full story at Mavenlink.com

Posted in Internet Marketing, Technology And YOU

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