How to Maintain Your Business Momentum in the New Year

The hustle and bustle of the holidays has finally died down and 2020 is here. Don’t let the dreariness of winter get you down; it’s a brand-new year, which could mean a brand-new start for your business!

Is there a task you’ve been putting off because you simply don’t have enough time to get to it? Perhaps you’re looking for ways to streamline daily operations that require long-term assistance? Whatever your goals are, now is the perfect time to keep the momentum of your New Year’s business resolutions going strong with ways to up productivity and build your business.

1. Set (and Stick) to Your Goals

Keeping your business momentum going in 2020 starts with figuring out what you want to accomplish and the best way to do so. Putting your ideas down on paper may get the juices flowing, but make sure that list doesn’t end up in the trash can or at the bottom of a pile of paperwork. Once you determine your goals, you need to take action. Ask yourself questions such as:

• Do we have the manpower and resources to accomplish this?
• If not, do we have the budget to outsource this?
• What is the time frame for achieving the goal?

Develop a strong plan for achieving your goals by assigning tasks to the necessary personnel, setting deadlines, and providing support as needed.

However, if the thought of finding time to do all this is causing you anxiety, then this is the perfect time to call in reinforcements. It can be an overwhelming task to figure out how your business can improve and operate more efficiently. Something like the Interactive Operations Audit may be what you’re looking for to help you set and stick to your goals. This self-paced online course provides insights into time management with the help of seasoned professionals.

2. Pick Your Business Momentum Strategy

A crucial part of upping your business productivity is finding what works for you. Some people love chaos and thrive under the pressure of a looming deadline, while others need more structure and planning to get through the day. There are many schools of thought when it comes to time management, so this is just a sampling of what’s out there:

• ABC Analysis: You will like this time management technique if you live to make lists. (I know I do!) With this method, you categorize all the items on your list based on how mission-critical they are. Important and urgent items are labeled as A. B is for items that are important, but not urgent. C is for items that are neither important nor urgent. After you assign priorities, you’ll need to estimate how long you think all of the “A” items will take. It’s not a bad idea to add in some buffer time for complicated items.
• 18 Minutes: This method was developed by Peter Bregman and consists of three simple steps that will take you 18 minutes. Step one is the morning minutes, with an allotment of five minutes, and involves taking items from your to-do list and selecting ones to accomplish that day. Step two is when you take a minute out of each hour to refocus. Step three also takes five minutes and is an evening review of your day.
• The Pomodoro Technique: With this technique, all of your daily tasks become known as Pomodoros. You will take a five-minute break after working on a task for 25 minutes. Once you’ve completed three to four tasks, you can then reward yourself with a longer break. DPM’s own Emily Hansel can attest to the success of this technique in upping productivity.

3. Know When to Ask for Help

Even with the best time management technique, you may find that there are still not enough hours in the day to accomplish your goals. This means it is time to bring in additional resources to help you boost your business’s productivity.

Working with a VA can free up your time to focus on the important priorities, instead of getting bogged down in the details. A VA can handle a myriad of tasks for you, from calendar or email management and event planning to travel management and basic bookkeeping needs.

What if you’re looking for something more specialized than just administrative support, though? Not to worry! You can utilize an outside resource to help with content management, including social media management, webinar planning, and original content creation. You can also find help for producing your podcast, with everything from securing guests to audio and video editing.

If this sounds like something you need, check out the ways DPM can help up your productivity and boost your business.