"If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I would spend the first four hours sharpening the axe". As President Abraham Lincoln knew, there will only ever be 24 hours in a day. This scientific fact is true no matter how hard we try to make time magically appear.Managing your business, planning your day, and utilizing the proper tools will help you to get the most out of that time. Focus on "sharpening your axe" first and you'll find your work not only getting done more efficiently, but getting done better than ever before.
First Thing's First
First thing in the morning is a great time to check those communications that came in overnight. Don't feel like you have to start answering right away! Prioritize what needs to be responded to immediately, then add others to your to-do list. If there are timely items already on your to-do list from the day before, take care of them first.
On the subject of that to-do list, do yourself a favor and sync it with your smartphone. It will help you make sure not a single task is missed as you adjust, re-prioritize and knock them off the list.
Avoid Distraction
Having access to email and messengers at your fingertips via mobile device has changed the face of doing business forever. However, it can also be a huge time suck. That urge to refresh the screen and answer emails ASAP can throw your day off very quickly. Build blocks of time for task management and personal time throughout every day, and stay committed to them. Larger projects or tasks that require more time or focus will get done on time. Identify a specific method of communication you, your team and your clients can use for urgent matters. Be clear, however, with definitions and requirements so it's not abused.
Read Now, Respond Later
You know that read receipt notification on your smartphone? Turn it off! Avoid the burden of obligation and read your texts without the sender knowing you looked at it.
On the same front, take advantage of your draft file to avoid the potential for the after-hours endless email volley. If you receive an email that seems to be open-ended or sent hastily, especially toward the end of the day, write a response, put it in the Draft folder, and send a complete response in the morning in case any new questions flow in.
Pro Tip: Whether it's the endless task list or the ongoing communication threads, Aisle Planner is one place to manage every detail. On top of that, our fully customizable permission settings let you invite your clients, team members and your partners into the planning process so you can share the details they need to see, when they need to see them.
Day-Of Timelines
Executing an expertly planned event or project comes to down to well-managed minutes and seconds. And, you're doing how many events every weekend during your wedding season high points?? Building your unique timeline templates in Aisle Planner can be a huge time saver. For venues where you frequently work, where weddings may follow a similar format or fit the work of particular partners, creating a custom template enables you to add in the primary elements of your event with the click of a few buttons. Building or refining your templates is a great investment of time in the offseason.When wedding season hits, you'll be ready to work smarter, not harder and give you more time to manage your business or, maybe even have some additional free time for yourself.
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