- Anonymous

I used to think that I was good at time management.  Lately, I've started to rethink that, not because I'm not getting things done but it just seems to take so much longer.  Now, that could be because I'm getting older, I'm not sure.  To settle this conundrum I've been researching ideas and techniques to improve my throughput.  Some of things I've worked on are included in the Inc.com article, 8 Things Really Efficient People Do by Kevin Daum.  

It's a new year and many are making resolutions, plans and priorities.  Getting organized, being productive often is at the top of the list, of work priorities that is.  Admittedly, I think about it too at the turn of the year.  I like the sense of accomplishment that comes from a clear inbox and an empty to-do list.  The little sense of victory as I eagerly check the box next to each item and see that list dwindle to nothing.  However, sometimes it so dang hard to get there.  It seems like that list just gets longer and longer.  The mixture of fun, must-do and not-so-fun tasks all screaming for attention.  There are so many suggestions, processes and theories around to tackle, conquer and tame the list.  I've even attempted to share/inspire you to success with a suggestion or two of my own. 

2 weeks and 2 days until Dec 25th…The time flew by and we are in the home stretch for one of

the most celebrated holidays.  It's time now to make a plan and work a plan.  A master plan that covers both work and home.

Admitting you need help is sometimes the hardest thing to do, not to mention admitting you need help to grow your business.  This article from Entrepreneur.com, The Cold, Hard Facts About Hiring includes the Infographic below that highlights the reasons why you want to hire help.  The biggest reason stated right at the top More Employees = More Growth.  

A little more than a year ago, I wrote about Getting Out of My Own Way, and as I sat down to write the next installment of the time is money post, I realized how applicable that post is.  Specifically, taking a break.  Recently, I felt like I was a hamster on it wheel.  I took a few moments to breath, channelling what little yoga I could remember, and walked away from my desk. I was rewarded with the lead I needed to move forward.  There's a saying about, working smarter, not harder and I've thought about how to do that for, and with my clients.  

So, I saw this infographic from AMA - American Marketing Association about napping and of course I had to take a look.  I don't know about you, I love a good nap.  Have you noticed how much quicker you get through a task after a nap than before it?  Now, a nap may not always be the answer, sometimes a walk does the trick.  I've got the stopwatch on my smart phone all setup and it comes in handy.  If I am taking forever on a task because my brain is foggy or I am jumping around constantly, I get up and walk around the office.  If that doesn't help, off to the futon.  I get up, I go back to my desk and wham!  All done with the task I was taking forever with earlier.  Take a look at this infographic, it has some helpful info for those who have yet to nap.  In particular note the amount of time.  I mentioned the stopwatch on my phone.  I have it set for 20 minutes, any more than that and I am ore tired than when I laid down - defeating the point of refreshing.  Don't think you have time to nap?  Think of it this way, the more tasks you can get through, the happier your clients and that leads to…more revenue.

One part of web design and development that seems to be a pain is images.  We love and hate them.  With the right set of images the site is informative and inviting.  However, if they are not optimized they can make a site very slow and painful for visitors.  Adobe Evangelist, Terry White, discusses the "Generate" functionality of Photoshop CC for creating web images in his new blog post.

In 10 minutes, you will learn how to save yourself hours of work.  It is worth noting that if you have your layers named for the asset e.g. image.png when all files are generated, that information is brought through in the export/generation.  

Ever find your to do list overwhelming?  One method that works for me is to identify the top three tasks that have to get done that day.  This does two things: 1.) I helps with prioritization; and 2.) sets up small wins. It's great to be able to check off tasks, well in this case three items off the ever-growing list of action items.  The bonus is that if the top three are done early, you can knock off early and add in some leisure time.

A few months ago, Megan Totka published on smallbiztrends.com 6 Time Saving Tips to Shave Hours Off Your Week.  In this article along with a great infographic worthy of posting in the office are some tips for saving time and thereby saving money.  True, while working for yourself, you don't get paid when you don't work.  However

What repeatable processes do you have in your business that could be streamlined? 

You're starting to feel defeated and unsure. You've questioned, researched and developed possible solutions, but have not moved forward with implementing any of them. You're mind is filled with even more questions. The questions could cover strategic direction, client impact or other. For example: Is it a good opportunity? Is it the right opportunity? Is it in the right industry? Does it fit my niche market? Does it solve the right problem? Is it the right solution? and lastly.. Are the right people involved? And so on…