Time is a precious commodity. It goes by too quickly and we never seem to have enough of it. That is why we need to protect it. We need to make the most of what we have. Improving efficiency at work is important. Here are some quick tips on saving time:

Record your goals and action plans on paper. Whether you write them down or type them, the very act of recording them will help you flesh out your ideas. Once your plans are complete, you’ll have a detailed roadmap with directions to follow. Review regularly.

Differentiate between urgent and important. Categorize based on the time each task will take. Next, look at your important work and identify what carries the highest value to your business and organization. In general, you want to recognize exactly which types of tasks have top priority over the others. Most of all be flexible and know when to cut.

Say no

Block out time on your calendar for your most important tasks. This will make it easier to turn down tasks that will distract you from your goals. Identify what you will say no to up front. i.e. No phone calls/meetings before noon or no to any business meeting that is longer than 30 minutes. You get the drift. Learn how to say no politely. Good manners will help.

Many tasks at work are driven by deadlines. Deadlines help in managing priorities and also give a roadmap on how much time you have to complete a specific task. This helps you adjust your effort and speed accordingly.

We don’t realize how costly and insidious interruptions are. No matter the reason, unplanned interruptions are detrimental to our productivity. We run the risk of burning through our limited supply of willpower, which explains why we throw in the towel before we have a chance to get anything substantial done. Don’t let someone else’s lack of preparation, organization or consideration create an emergency in your world.

It is also important to know if your everyday processes can be made more efficient. This will save you time for planning for larger projects and organizational goals. Do you have a good idea of your current business requirements? Are you using a system that has not been evaluated in years? It is possible that your competitive advantage is suffering as a result.

iRely offers a Business Process Review (BPR) to guide your decisions on current workflows.  Our team of ag specialists will help your team evaluate current processes and their effectiveness. They will help you identify if there are areas where you can save valuable resources. As a result, you will have more time to focus on the goals important to your organization.