Increasing Productivity, Increasing Profits

When you're self-employed, time often really does equate to money; and increasing productivity can make a significant difference in profits. For me, every minute I'm not working, I'm not making as much money as I could be, therefore; finding ways to increase my productivity and make more efficient use of my time are important aspects of my life.

In my line of work as a writer, there is only so much I can do in a day though. After five or six hours of writing, my mind is often frizzled to a crisp, and I can no longer turn out quality material. This means that making the most of certain times of day, when I'm fresh, alert, and my mind is churning away, can mean the difference between a day with plenty of work accomplished and one spent feeling useless and unproductive.

Time Management

I think we all probably know, or at least have an inkling as to when in the day we are most efficient and effective in our work. For me, this time is typically the morning and late evening hours. In the afternoon, my brain typically turns to mush, which is good in a way because it gives me quality time to spend playing with my four-year-old son.

But morning time is daddy's work time. So this mean's my son eats his breakfast, watches cartoons, and gets quiet play time on his own. Luckily for me, he's a great little boy, and tends to be a self-starter. This leaves lunch time and the afternoon for fun time. Then once my wife comes home, we have some quality time together, dinner, and I'm ready for more work.

It's not the perfect schedule, but being a stay-at-home dad while making a go of it as a self-employed individual, I'll take what I can get; and knowing my most productive hours helps me get the most done in the least amount of time.

Taking Time Out

Even with knowing when I'm most productive, it doesn't mean I always am; and sitting there trying for force creativity doesn't often make for the best results. Therefore, sometimes it's best to step back for a couple minutes, close my eyes, mess around on the Internet, or even fold laundry or do the dishes, just to get away from the mental strain momentarily. Then I can come back, rejuvenated and refreshed and have another go at it.

But sometimes it takes more than a couple of minutes to reboot. At times like this, I might go outside and chop wood for a half hour, go to the park with my son or go for a walk. And while this might sound like it's cutting into my productivity, it's actually more conducive to sorting and processing my thoughts than staring at a blank computer screen or trying to force my ideas.

Reducing Distractions

Whether you're working at home with a four-year-old like I am or conduct your work in a business environment where co-workers just act like they're four years old, reducing distractions can be key to increasing productivity. In order to reduce distractions and keep myself on track, I try to keep a prioritized list of things I need to accomplish. This helps to keep me from getting sidetracked with menial, less important activities.

When I'm hard at work, I find that keeping the television off (unless it's on for my son) not checking email too often, and not getting on the Internet (unless its work related) helps keep me focused and on track, increasing productivity and profits.

My worst enemy is probably the Internet since it is right there and it's so easy to just say "I just want to check the markets or find out how my blog is doing". To reduce the temptation of Internet distraction, I sometimes work in an area of the house where my computer's signal strength is weak. This tends to make it more frustrating when I try to connect and reduces my desire to "play" on the Internet, thereby increasing my productivity and profits.

More from this contributor:

How Self-audits can Improve Productivity

Save Big Money with These Everyday Household Items

Why Collecting on Your Accounts Receivables is More Than Just About Money

Disclaimer:

The author is not a licensed financial professional. The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. For financial advice, readers should consult a licensed financial advisor. Any action taken by the reader due to the information provided in this article is solely at the reader's discretion.