Time is a rare commodity, and no group knows this better than entrepreneurs. For them, finding a moment to think about what to have for lunch is as close as it gets to having free time. Running a business is so demanding, you’re often looking for ways to clone yourself just to catch up. And since we’re a long way from cloning, here are four tools to help you streamline your business operations.
1. Keep track of your tasks. Todo is an award-winning app that helps you manage your tasks on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Todo lets you geotag your to-do list, meaning if you need to go to the store to buy a printer, stop at FedEx to send a package, or pick up your suit from the dry cleaner for tomorrow’s meeting, the app will ping you when you’re near those locations. Since it syncs to all of your devices, you’re less likely to forget something. That’s taking efficiency to a whole new level.
2. Stay on top of your finances. One of the most tedious parts of running your own business is managing your company’s finances. This is where accounting software is your best friend. The right software will allow you to quickly create and send custom invoices to all your customers. Expenses are an area the IRS pays particular attention to, so keeping careful records can make all the difference should you find yourself in an audit. Try Expensify, which operates on mobile and desktop. Expensify has ‘Smartscan,’ letting you photograph and categorize receipts for expense reports. If you commute a lot to see clients, you will appreciate the ‘Track Distance’ function that lets you monitor how far you’ve traveled.
3. Manage your social media. Nearly 1.7 billion people are active on social media. Having a social media strategy is as important to your business as having a well-defined product or service—it can play an integral role in your sales, PR, marketing, and customer service initiatives. The good news is there are user-friendly, time-saving tools to help you manage your social media efforts. Buffer will take the content you’d like to promote and schedule it to be posted, so you can work on other aspects of your business—multi-tasking at its best.
4. Secure files on the cloud. Eliminate your dependency on your computer or clunky filing cabinets. Dropbox will store everything in one secure place, so you can keep files synced, creating consistency between your computer, tablet, or phone. You even have the ability to edit presentations with your team—whether they are next door or across the country. Instead of having to go back to the office to send a file, now your files can follow you.
If running a business has you feeling overwhelmed, take the time to look into some time-saving applications. The time saved will not only help you check a few more items off your to-do list, but also allow you to focus on things that need your undivided attention like sales forecast, new patent idea, or your family and friends. Remember them?
