We love to be busy. We’re constantly scheduling, calling, emailing, meeting, reviewing. The list goes on. Conventional wisdom says that the busier we are, the more we accomplish.
But if we’re always running around, when do we have time to actually think and plan for what we want to get done? How can we come up with new, creative, or innovative ideas if we’re always occupied?
Would Sir Isaac Newton have “discovered” gravity had he not been lounging under that tree?
And the most important question: how can business management software help us free up time in a modern workplace environment?
[This content is based on a Business Lunch Chat podcast episode. Listen Below.]
Saving time at work is about perspective
Our conversation about being busy was inspired by a clip of Bill Gates discussing the first time he saw Warren Buffet’s calendar. While Bill Gates had, as he says, “every minute packed,” Buffet’s calendar was mostly clear.
The point is simple: no matter what you might think, you control your time. The more time you allot to yourself for the important thought-work and perspective needed to solve problems, the smarter you’ll work— and the more you’ll get done.
How ERP software helps with productivity
With the right management software, you can find intelligent ways of being productive without adding blocks of time to complete tasks. Here are 3 things to look for in choosing the best productivity software.
1. Automation Tools
Most productivity software has processes for automation. Whether it’s a process specific to your role, or something more general, make sure you take advantage of those tools.
Example 1: A calendar that can automatically detect and reconcile schedule and location conflicts for multiple employees can save a person hours of time per week. It’s especially powerful when every employee of a company can use it.
Example 2: Saved searches can configure your lists of data to show only what you want to see. Filter out anything that is not needed at the given moment so you can focus on what is a priority.
2. Data Access
The easier it is for you to access data in your management software, the less time you’ll spend tracking it down. And “Data” doesn’t just refer to what you’re working on at the moment. It counts for company documents, document history, shared project documents.
All data should be stored in a centralized location with a resource navigator for easy access to the documents you have permission to work on.
3. Customization
The more customizable your productivity software is, the more quickly you’ll navigate to what you need when you’re working.
However, it should go without saying that if you work on multiple software applications, you’re going to spend plenty of time logging in, closing out, making sure your work has transferred, etc. It’s incredibly time-consuming.
Using the best business management software will let you customize your dashboard and has all of your work available on it, will save you the most time.
Conclusion
There are plenty of ways to save time at work. The more you can automate, schedule, and customize, the better. When your processes are streamlined, your software does some of the work for you. That means your calendar becomes less cluttered and you can spend your time on what’s really important.
