Accountants are often seen by society as organised and meticulous. The reality is most accountants are managing a huge amount of tasks, clients, meetings, reporting and deadlines for both their clients and their own businesses.
When it comes to task and time management, there are five easy hacks to help you get on top of your action.
Project management software
Using project management and collaboration software –may cost you $10 to $20 per user per month however it will allow you to plan, organise, delegate and execute all deadlines within your business. These are the ultimate to do list!
Make yourself scarce
Phone calls, emails, meetings, more emails and your day is gone. To make your time matter, allocate set times where your phone is diverted, where your emails are not pinging in your inbox, so you can be ‘out of office’ while in the office. Being mindful of your tasks and avoiding the temptation to get distracted can add hours to your day, as you can focus, complete a task, then start again.
Add a productive hour to your day
Business owners and professionals need to keep informed, read industry articles and undertake professional development, but it takes time. Why not add a productive hour to your morning – rather than sitting up late streaming Netflix? Why not get into the office, gym or coffee shop for an hour to get your fix and set up ready for the day with no distractions.
Set up recurring tasks
By running project management software or your calendar, you can set up recurring tasks. We are creatures of habit, but we do need reminders from time to time. To ensure you don’t miss the important things in your personal and private life, it's important to set up reminders.
Focus on deadlines and to-do dates
Don’t set up your ‘to do’ date as the deadline, leaving you no room for error – even as accountants, life happens. Ensure you are giving yourself enough breathing space should anything unforeseen happen. Planning prevents poor performance.
