Time Task

Find out where you can rescue time

1 List out your regular business activities that you and your team do. 

2 Create a table with the following headings going across:

• Activity

• Your Time (Hours per timeframe)

• Team Members’ Time (Hours per timeframe)

• Duplication? (Y/N)

Choose a timeframe that makes sense for you, whether that’s hours per month, hours per week, or either depending on the task.

3 Fill it out. Gather your team and collaborate. Ask them how much time they think they spend on an activity. Ask them where they feel efficiencies could be made. You may learn more than you’d expect!

View Example

LEVEL UP

Let’s gain perspective on the above steps.

1- EXTRA

If we consider the vantage point that we are going to make improvements, we want the set of tasks we write to be their most salient, minimal version. Consider this example:

• ‘‘Creating invoices”

• “Checking payments, sending reminders and late invoices”

As we work together, we may discover that the best solution is to install an online checkout, or an automated booking system. In that case, we may not need to invoice manually any more. To set yourself up for success, write your tasks like this:

• “Getting paid”

This way, you can see and group together tasks that really just perform one meaningful function for you, and begin to imagine better solutions. 

You can note ”Creating invoices”, “Checking payments, sending reminders and late invoices” as current subtasks. Think: “What’s unlikely to change, no matter what?”

3 - EXTRA

Consider using time-tracking tools like Toggl Track to measure how much time your team spends on different tasks.