Every entrepreneur has the challenge of getting everything done in the time available. There are lots of productivity tools available but many of them, especially some of the software programs, have a steep learning curve. If your time is already tight, where will you find the time to learn them?
It’s better to start with some simple tools. One that often is overlooked, maybe because it is so simple, is the humble checklist. Atul Gawande wrote a whole book about it: “The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right.” In it, he relates how using checklists had a huge impact on reducing errors and disasters in the operating room. After all, pilots use checklists before take-off, why shouldn’t we?
Here are some times that a checklist can save you from serious problems:
- When you’re in a rush and likely to overlook some things you need to do
- When somebody less familiar with what needs to be done needs to do it (for instance, if you’re off sick or called away suddenly)
- When it’s a process you don’t do often enough to memorize it
- When it’s a procedure that keeps changing–a list can keep you on top of the changes
What parts of your business could benefit from using checklists?
