Lines open: 8am - 8pm Mon - Fri
9am - 5pm Sat and 10am - 4pm Sun

Tradesman Insurance: Keeping Track of Time: Tips for Tradesmen

Not enough time in the day? Feel as though you're not getting anywhere fast enough? As a busy tradesperson you already know that your time really is your money and that by not staying on top of things you not only lose money for your business but your reputation also suffers. So, how can you make better use of your time and get that work-life balance you thought was impossible? Below are some simple tips which you could use in your day-to-day life to increase the amount of work you can get done and your income.

Set targets and prioritise

Decide your daily, weekly, monthly and annual goals and stick to them.
Prioritise by distinguishing between urgent and important tasks.
Get a work-life balance by deciding on a start and end time for your working day.

Get organised

Keep a record of what you do for a couple of weeks so you can work out how you really spend your time. Are there any areas when time is being wasted or could be used more effectively? If so, put together a plan which you think would help you to use your time better.
Use whatever form of diary system works for you - e.g. paper, online, mobile phone.
Where possible, have set times when you receive phone calls and emails.
Set aside enough time for unplanned events.
Organise your work by setting up procedures for record keeping, tool storage and other activities.
Get someone else to do the work for you. Calculate how much your time is worth. It may be more cost efficient to pay someone else to do certain tasks.

Manage expectations

Manage your customers' expectations by telling them what's happening. Explain how long a job will take. Contact a customer if you are going to be late for an appointment. Let your customer know if a job is taking more time than expected or of any other delays.
Set realistic expectations of yourself. 'Know' how long tasks really take. Time yourself rather than guessing.

Meet deadlines

Meet deadlines. If you think you are going to miss a deadline tell the relevant people in advance.
Stop putting things off. Do that dreaded task!
Don't take on too much. Know when to say 'no'.

By using some of these tradesman tips, you will hopefully be able to find more time in the day to get things done and increase your income. You never know, you might get that cup of tea after all!