One of the issues that entrepreneurs typically face is the effective use of their time. A lot of business owners struggle with the nitty-gritty of their daily functioning making it difficult for them to focus on strategic matters to grow the business. This leads to the question, “Kaise karein samay mutthi me?” The translation is “How to get hold of your time?” In this article, I will illustrate some key tools and strategies that can enable entrepreneurs to save time, increase productivity and concentrate on growing the business.

The Problem: Consumed by Every Day Tasks

Routine tasks such as attending meetings with clients, suppliers and distributors, inventory management, and customer care are basics that can bog entrepreneurs down. These obligations can take the bulk of their day which can detract from more impactful activities that foster promising business outcomes. Because of this, a lot of entrepreneurs face challenges around scaling their business and determining their productive output.

Software and apps can be transformative in this way. In regards to operations, these technologies automate lower value tasks, making it easier for business owners to prioritize important tasks and improve their efficiency.

Illustration: How Guptaji Tried and Succeeded in Business Through Google Calendar

Now look at Guptaji, a fashion retailer in Lucknow. He was working towards his business goals but was meeting desk-bound challenges. It was difficult for him to grow his business because his schedule was ful of meetings on day to day operations. Productivity record seemed impossible.

When his son, who attended an elite MBA institution, gifted him a Google Calendar, everything changed. Guptaji was able to triage meetings with customers, suppliers, and distributors, so he was able to efficiently plan his day. He began monitoring how much time he was wasting on activities that did not further the business growth and, alongside Calendar, refocused to productive tasks instead.

This single, important tool allowed Guptaji to transcend organized chaos to achieving focused, systemic growth and expansion of his business from Lucknow to other cities. Time management became a monument of business success.

What is Google Calendar?

What is Google Calendar, and how does it benefit business owners so greatly?

You don’t need an elaborate personal calendar or planner on Google Calendar. Besides being a scheduling tool, Google Calendar works like a virtual aide. After adding a meeting or event into the app, it will notify you beforehand, which ensures you never miss an important meeting.

Entrepreneurs who are always out and about can use Google Calendar as it is available on laptops, desktops, and mobile phones.

How to Use Google Calendar: A Step-by-Step Guide

Using Google Calendar is easy as it is user friendly. To incorporate Google Calendar into your work schedule, follow the simple steps below:

Install Google Calendar on Your Phone:

If you have an iPhone, you can download the app from the App Store and if you use Android, you can download it from Google Play Store.

Open the App:

Click on the Google Calendar bar to open the app on your mobile phone.

Create an Event:

Add a new event by pressing the ‘+’ button.

Enter the Meeting Details:

Type a title for the meeting, like “Meet Dr. Vivek Bindra,” then fill in the date, time, and location.

Invite Participants:

Type in the email address of the person you want to meet with. They will be notified about this meeting automatically.

Set a Reminder:

You can also set personal reminders so that you prepare in advance for the meeting.

The Advantages of Google Calendar for Business Owners

Entrepreneurs are able to experience a productivity boost through the following advantages provided by Google Calendar:

Time Allocation:

With Google Calendar, you are able to schedule appointments which enable you to allocate sufficient time to focus on productive aspects of the business.

Limits Unproductive Meetings:

Eliminates the majority of unimportant meetings by scheduling only those that are highly relevant.

Automatic Notifications:

Automatic reminders enable you to remember your appointments, thereby making your day more organized.

Increases Productive Hours:

Google calendar helps you focus on deadlines and important activities which increases overall productivity.

Ways to Allocate Time Efficiently Using Google Calendar

To help make Google Calendar more effective, the following modifications can be made to the business routine:

Blocking Off Times for Deep Work:

Allocate time blocks for specific high priority tasks such as preparing for business meetings or finalizing product details that need undivided attention.

Apply Colors:

Assign a unique color for each category in Google Calendar to allow meetings, deadlines, and personal appointments to stand out visually.

Add Spacer Segments:

Insert small pauses between appointments to create a psychological buffer and allow yourself time to reflect on what you just accomplished or the next target you need to complete.

Track Tasks:

Use the calendar to mark tasks you have assigned so that you know how many tasks to follow-up on without overburdening yourself.

Action Plan for Entrepreneurs

Here are strategies on how to incorporate this tool in business and dictate better control over your time:

Download Google Calendar App on Your Smartphone:

The first step is getting the application to easily manage your day-to-day engagements from the palm of your hand.

Have a Separate Work Calendar:

One of the effective features of Google Calendar is the ability to create different calendars, allowing the user to manage and allocate separate calendars for meetings, deadlines, and important tasks.

Be Selective With Scheduling:

Meetings should only be scheduled when it is clear they add value to the growth of the business. Go over the calendar in advance and remove time sucking non-productive activities.

Using these steps aforementioned will allow better management of your time and allow you to concentrate on activities that will boost the growth of your business.

Conclusion for Google Calendar

Day-to-day operations may demand a lot of time from an entrepreneur, but it should not distract them from focusing on their long-term plans. As an example, you can use software tools such as Google Calendar to help with time management, meeting scheduling, and productivity. If you manage your time properly, your focus will change from maintenance tasks to working on what really matters, such as growing your company and achieving real success.

As a notable saying states, “It is not the activities themselves which are important, it is what you do with them that makes the difference.” Using these tools along with new skills and strategies gives you the opportunity to manage your time and push your entrepreneurship to a new level.

Categories: Busyness To Business