Maybe I’m writing this today because the end-of-year crunch and getting tasks done is on our minds here at Team SBS Accounting & Advisors.
Really, we only have a little more than a month left before 2022 is in the rearview. And my business brain wants it all. to. slow. down.
When I’ve got a lot to do (like right now), efficiency becomes my mantra. Resonate with that?
I have a bunch of Atlanta business owner clients emailing about year-end projections and cash flow updates as they look to make quick EOY moves (smartly – some of which I mentioned in my last writing). I also have some who are having to make very difficult decisions about cutting costs and who to let go… and figuring out the best way to do that.
If you want to discuss any of that, let’s get you a time on my calendar:
calendly.com/sbs_jbill/discovery
And before I get back to the golden word EFFICIENCY…
The midterm election results are on a lot of minds, specifically what impact they’ll have on your Atlanta business.
Honestly, with a Republican-controlled House and a Democratic-controlled Senate most major economic legislation will likely be logjammed… at least until the next national election.
Capitol Hill continues to try and attack supply chain problems, most recently with the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022. The new law has had questionable effectiveness so far but there’s hope Congress will do more for the supply chain.
One thing you shouldn’t expect from the government: efficiency.
But one person you can expect that from? You. You can take charge of what you have to do before the 2022 door slams shut.
And as I’ve been working on using efficiency principles, I thought I’d share my thoughts so you might benefit from them too.
Bill’s Guide To Getting Tasks DONE
“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.” – Henry van Dyke
I’ve discovered a few tricks when it comes to getting tasks done through the day — and managing others who do so.
Here are some little tactics I’ve found to be helpful:
Turn off cell phone alerts.
Resist the temptation to stop what you’re doing every time your phone beeps with a new message. You’ll be better able to focus on tasks when you’re not constantly distracted and interrupted.
Fine-tune your to-do list.
When planning your day, add estimated times to each item on your to-do list. This will help you decide what to do first and what can be saved for later.
Run two-minute drills.
Every few hours, look at your list for tasks that can be done quickly–answering emails and phone calls, confirming appointments, and the like. Spend a few minutes clearing those away, and you’ll have more blocks of uninterrupted time to take on bigger tasks.
Take regular breaks.
You’ll burn out if you go full throttle for eight or 10 hours. Determine how long you can effectively concentrate on a single task (usually between 30 minutes and an hour, for most people). Take a break after that time–walk around, get out of the building, talk to coworkers–and you’ll return feeling refreshed.
Let’s see if we can make these last couple weeks of 2022 create momentum that lasts into 2023, shall we?
Time to get stuff done.
To more of what’s yours, into your Atlanta business’s bottom line …
On your team,
Jonathan Bill