William Penn once said, “Time is what we want most but what we use worst.” It’s easy to feel busy, but you may be confusing the feeling of being busy with the feeling of being scattered, disorganized, or not in control of your day. The key to turning a busy day into a productive day is in how well you plan your tasks and stick to that plan.
Time Management Tips
Here are some time management tips to get you started:
- Train your staff. You can’t manage your own tasks if you spend all day managing everyone else’s. When your convenience store team is well-trained, they’ll work more self-sufficiently, leaving you with more time to focus on your own to-do list. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you don’t have time to train. Training today will pay off tomorrow.
- Walk your store. Each day before you begin your regular store duties, walk your entire store. This will help you follow up on issues that came up during the previous shift and anticipate issues that may come up during the current shift. Note areas that need your attention or can be delegated to a staff member.
- Be proactive. Never ignore little issues that may turn into bigger issues throughout a shift. Handle potential problems – or delegate them to others to be handled – before they become too big to efficiently manage.
- Manage vendor orders and promotions. Be timely and organized when preparing and placing orders. Most orders and deliveries occur on specific days and times of the week, giving you time to plan and prepare in advance.
- Make a to-do list. Always start and end your day by creating a list of tasks that need to be completed. Notes you took during your store walk and tasks remaining from the previous day will start your to-do list. By prioritizing the tasks, you can focus on what you need to do to achieve the results and goals you set for the day.
- Share your list. Let your team know what your priorities are for the day, and make sure they understand their own individual to-dos as well. When you model good time management skills, your employees will follow your lead.
Remember, being busy is not the same thing as being productive. Time management is one tool that will help you keep control of your day.
Convenience Store Training for Managers
Our convenience store training for managers delivers valuable training topics tailored specifically to your assistant managers, store managers, and district managers. Click here to learn more.
