March 2005

Success Tips for Small Business Owners

by Lorraine Pirihi

Running a small business requires many skills.  However  to do this successfully you need to organize yourself first. Avoid procrastination, read the following and take action.

1. Successful Business Owners Look After Themselves First

Exercise regularly, eat healthily and be around positive people.  Feed your mind by attending personal development courses.  Read self-help and motivational books, listen to tapes.  Stress management levels will be much more effective when you look after yourself.

 Do the right thing by yourself and you'll have heaps of energy, be motivated, have more balance in your life which in turn will help you be more productive and successful.

2. Successful Business Owners Clean Out the Clutter Regularly

You will save yourself heaps of time, energy and money if you clear out your work and home environment…paperwork, books, old equipment etc.  You'll be able to find things, save money because you won’t have to buy what you already have hidden somewhere, plus you’ll be less stressed. Organize your office and your small business premises regularly…keep the clutter out.  Eliminating clutter will help you to avoid procrastination.  It’s too easy to avoid getting things done if you are overwhelmed with clutter.

3. Successful Business Owners Use the Right Tools

It’s no good having the latest whiz-bang computer when the desk that you sit at is too small to accommodate it, or the chair has poor back support, or the lighting is dull causing you eyestrain and fatigue.  All these factors heavily influence how you work.  Invest in a decent desk, purchase a desk lamp or change the light globes.

 Don’t avoid the warning signs your body gives you.  Take action now before you have eye, back or neck problems.

4. Successful Business Owners Use a Diary or Digital Organizer

With so much to organize in your small business, you need to record your appointments, things to do and goals somewhere.  Preferably in a paper diary or digital organiser that you can take everywhere.  This is the most effective way to get things done, plan your work and your life.  Balance is extremely important.  Top achievers are great at time management (even if they have to pay someone else to organize them).

5. Successful Business Owners Learn to Say No

To dramatically improve your productivity and do more of the things you want, you have to be firm

with others and let them know if you cannot, will not or are unavailable to fulfil their requests.  If you constantly say “yes” to everyone else’s requests you will never have the time to do what you really want to.

Book yourself into a self-assertiveness course to learn these skills if you feel you need to.

6. Successful Business Owners Do What They Do Best and Delegate the Rest

See what tasks you can delegate tasks which would suit someone else’s talents.  Many small business owners are spending heaps of time on mundane secretarial tasks, which would take a person who is trained in that area a quarter of the time to undertake. Stress management is an important part of running your small business.  Reduce the stress by delegating or outsourcing wherever you can.

Use a bookkeeper, personal assistant  or virtual assistant.  Always ask yourself, whom else can I get to do this?  Use your time management to focus on what you do best. 

7. Successful Business Owners Only Have Meetings If Necessary

Make sure the meetings you organize in your small business are relevant and run effectively. Avoid procrastination – always make sure there is an outcome and all actions are followed through.

The Final Word

By following these simple yet very effective time management tips for small business owners you will have more control over your work and your life.  You’ll have more balance, experience  less stress and be more proactive. 

Avoid procrastination…take action today!
 

About the Author

Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's Personal Productivity Specialist and Leading Life Coach. Her business The Office Organiser specialises in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine runs monthly public workshops on “How to Have Less Mess, Less Stress and More Success” and “How to Successfully Grow Your Business From Home”.

Lorraine delegates to VA Kathie M. Thomas who provides her with database management, article submission, Word and PowerPoint support, etc.

She’s a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including "How to Survive and Thrive at Work!". To subscribe to her free e-zine visit www.office-organiser.com.