Let’s put it out there right from the beginning. I love systems. I think in systems and it brings me comfort to know that things have order. Weird, I know. However, with 4 school aged kids, 2 dogs, and 2 hamsters, and a few businesses our house needs systems to thrive just like our businesses do.
So let’s get down to business to discuss work systems and how I save hours of time utilizing them through tech and processes I have created for my business.
HOUR ONE: Invoicing and CRM. I recently switched to Dubsado for my business and it is by far the best thing I have done to save time. Now I can create recurring invoices and workflows! Do you have any idea how easy it is to use once you get past the learning curve? How much joy does it bring you to see money come into your bank account while you're working? A good CRM like Dubsado is worth the money. Automatic invoices and workflows that are developed for YOUR business and puts money in your account while you sleep and work is key. There is a happy dance being done at my desk each time that happens now and I wonder why I have waited to do this. In addition, I likely save another hour or so a week, as I don’t have any overdue invoices to chase down anymore either.
HOUR TWO: Project Management Tools
Trello, Asana, ClickUp and more. There are many great options out there for project management. When I started freelancing as an OBM and Tech VA, I set up Trello for all my business needs. It really served me well. As I added team members, we also set up client projects in Trello to assure easy communication, use automations and reminders to keep us on point.
All our documents, spreadsheets and branding information is housed here so my new team and myself can find everything we need at a glance. It reduced our emails greatly and I can easily respond to notifications when I am not at my desk and out and about. Having a system in place to keep our information organized has paid off time and time again.
Hours saved again each week!
HOUR THREE: Checking Email Less
One great advantage of moving your team to a project management (PM) tool like ClickUp or Trello is there is automatically a reduction in email because communication has been centralized somewhere else. The direct result here is less email! Which means you can now check it less. Pure relief and more time added immediately to your week. So having a system in place for organizing and communicating about work projects will allow you to save another hour a week at least from email hell.
HOUR FOUR: Strategic Planning for My Business
Imagine you have a road map for your business that leads your work from start to finish and all that inbetween.
Strategic planning can do that for you. When everyone on the ship knows how and where to go, you again can be the captain.
Having a 90-day plan for your business that clearly defines what you and your team need to accomplish each week will keep you on track! Now pair your strategic plan with your killer PM tool and wasted time is a thing of the past.
HOUR FIVE: Documenting Systems
Documenting your main systems before you even hire your first team member is crucial to saving time each week.
When you find yourself repeating anything in your business, it’s time to document the process so you can repeat the results time and time again.
Social media, administrative, onboarding and payment systems are some of the most commonly documented and handed off. Taking time to develop systems for your business will help you get predictable results you can count on. You will save way more than an hour here for sure.
So are you ready to save time each week through project management, systems or a new CRM?
Let’s talk!
Dana Hitchcock is an Online Business Manager and a People - Processes - Projects Strategist. She helps entrepreneurs organize, strategize and prioritize their business to go from overwhelmed to streamlined and fancy-free!
After over 20 years in education and a decade as a successful entrepreneur, she launched her own business to help entrepreneurs clean up the back end of their business. She is a Certified OBM and HR professional. In her spare time, she loves watching Food Network, especially Alton Brown, and cooking up new things.
Dana is also a wife, mom of 4 with dreams of traveling the world and seeing it all!
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