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Tips for good time management?
Interesting thread of late regarding “holidays” and indeed how much time we all seem to put into the business, judging also by the amount of contributions made to this web site in the wee hours of the morning.
I guess it boils down to good time management, organisation and delegation. There are countless books on the subject but nothing specific for our business, however individually we all possibly have good habits we have developed and indeed some bad ones we would like to get rid of.
Anyone care to chuck in some ideas of how they save time or organise their daily work. Do you use the computer, to do lists, job boards, how do you prioritize?
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8 Replies
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quick reply mate…
the job board i posted a few months ago is one of mine. sorts jobs and keeps update on whats been/not been invoiced etc.
im in the middle of trying a few things i have invested in right now. not expemsive but it should help very much so if it does. ill keep you posted. 😉 -
Hi there –
Literally stumbled over this site over the weekend and although came into workshop at a ridiculous hour to get some quality time on ‘catch-up’ … i just couldn’t break away from reading the endless amounts of useful tips and threads that sign-makers throughout the UK are SHARING !!! Seems i’m not alone with the ‘ups and downs’ of sign-making 🙄
mod-edit admin@uksignboards.com
Many thanks
Glenn ( Hull )
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Thanks Rob – I look forward to seeing your ideas. THe job Board itself is excellent and far more manageable than the job slip system on day clipboards I use. I will adapt and use this.
Chris
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We have a jobs board and I must admit I make “to-do” lists for Steve … just to make sure he doesnt forget certain things.
We have folders for jobs which then have their own filing trays so we know where we are with each job …… so if Steves not about I can get on with certain things and vice versa.
We still feel we dont have enough time in the day though to get everything done …… but you just cant be at it 24 x 7 can you …… you have to at least break away from actual work for a few hours …… but on saying that we must be addicted to signmaking and everything that goes with it ……. cause if we are not at work or working at home on designs we are here at UKSB 😮 but its the peeps that make this place what it is and what it has to offer ….. so it keeps us all coming back 😉
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Hello again !
Robert, read your thread regarding the job board that you posted BUT being a newbie i wasn’t priviledged enuff to see it 🙄
Being in dire need of a system that works WELL for my vinyl fitters / CAD operaters … any chance you could post AGAIN, pleassssse ?!?
Waiting here with my noose –
Glenn
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We use job slips for any work that comes into the shop. Its very basic, “Who” , “Who for” (graphics, workshop etc) date in, due date. We also have a job board to help keep track. The most important tool I use is a software based calender, not too sure if I can post the link. Its basically an appointment book. I will log meetings and work to be done it pops up to remind me ahead of time. This has allowed me to not fully rely on my memory (which is not perfect, too much coffee, too many paint fumes).
We have tried many different ways but this works to a point for us.
Hope this is of help.
Cheers
Johnny -
We’ve got a really high tech approach. 😀
Two big Nobo paper pads screwed to the wall divided up into columns. Headings of Dye Sub, vinyl, Print, Wide Format, Screen Print, Business Cards.
Job comes in, gets written in the relevant column with the date and the date due. Job gets done, dirty great magic marker through it.
That seems to work for us better than anything else we’ve tried. The only place it fails miserably is telling us whether or not the job has been invoiced and/or paid. A few seem to slip through the net which is stupid I know but you know what it’s like when things get really busy.
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Lots of good ideas here, must confess I’ve tried most of them, but they have all failed!
I do most (90%) of my business on my mobile, and the whiteboard I have at work is no good to me in the van. When I get back to the office, I often forget to fill it in.
Best thing I can do is use my diary but that is a drama too, cause most times I leave it at the office so my parents know my days activity.
Just about every thing is in my head until the end of the day when I find myself writing little notes to myself just before bed time.
One thing I make sure I do tho, is invoice every job as soon as it is finished. Then I have one less thing to worry about during the day.
Biggest problem I have is people ringing me to see when I am coming to do their job, and it has completely slipped my mind 🙄
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