Are You Using These Three Time-Saving Tricks in Your Office?

Go digital and ditch the old machines

Don’t swim against the digital tide. It’s exhausting, it’s futile, and it squanders time you could spend making your business more profitable. So, for starters, ditch the office fax machine, and the clunky desktop computer, and embrace the cloud.

Working in the cloud can be done 24/7, wherever you are in the world, giving you flexibility and saving you time. All you need is an internet connection to turn your mobile, laptop or handheld device into a portable office. Send, receive and retrieve important messages with a virtual fax system and work on key documents any time of day or night, and join the modern world!

Choose a cloud provider offering the features which suit you – free cloud storage, encrypted security, and solid customer and technical support. When it comes to virtual faxing, Mbox is the contemporary answer, offering storage of all sent and received faxes on the cloud, and faxing via your mobile or laptop. No more wasting time standing in the queue at the fax machine!

The business benefits of cloud storage

This one’s crucial. Here are some pointers to help you concentrate on the task in hand.

• Don’t keep things in your head. Crucial things will get forgotten, and the creative parts of your brain will be blocked up with the practical. Write key reminders or notes in an electronic notebook or diary, or store them in the cloud. Files can then be easily shared with work colleagues or employees at the touch of a button.
• Use a digital work organiser. It’s time to ditch the sticky. Check out the wide range of electronic diaries, calendars and organisers now available offering address books, to-do lists and reminders. Some can be synched up with your office software and your colleagues.
• Always have a ‘pending’ tray or container. Focus fully on vital tasks and attend to those odd, annoying letters and notes later. Just don’t let them turn into a paper mountain, which will end up burning more time.

Get good at delegating

When you need to focus on that urgent project, clear the decks of distractions. Turn off your phone, close the email, and divert your phone.

Before you do, however, delegate some of your other pressing tasks. Make sure you:

• Don’t have unfair expectations. Another person will not do things precisely as you would. But look at the upside – they might do it better.
• Set clear job instructions. Make sure your worker has all the information they will need, and be clear and focused – don’t ramble or give confusing instructions.
• Never micromanage. Provide guidance where necessary, then step back and give the chosen employee/s a chance to shine.
• Be tolerant. If you’re handing more responsibility to others, they will need time and patience to gain proficiency. Give them the training, direction and support they need to do a great job.

If you work on streamlining your business day, you will soon be reaping the rewards.