Do you find yourself burnt out as a business owner? This is not uncommon. There are many reasons that entrepreneurs suffer from extensive fatigue. You need to recognize the reasons and take appropriate measures.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By Dmytro Zinkevych
Being overburdened with paperwork is one of the biggest reasons. You are going to need to take all reasonable measures to keep paperwork from wrecking your life.
Running a business requires a lot of time-consuming paperwork. Fortunately, you don’t have to waste your life away carrying out these dull admin duties. Here are just three ways to reduce the burden of paperwork and prevent death by admin.
Automate it
Most admin tasks no longer have to be done manually. There is software out there that can automate every task from accounting and rota-building and ordering stock, allowing tasks that once took hours to be done in a matter of seconds. Much of this software is cloud-based such as ELMO Cloud HR and Payroll, so that all your data is secure and transferable between devices. In fact, many programmes now also come as apps, making it possible to carry out admin work on the go using your smartphone.
Automating your admin does come at a cost – most business software isn’t free, so you should consider whether the subscription fee is worth the convenience. The majority of business owners rely on software for accounting and most business owners use it to help with their payroll. You may feel these are the only admin duties you need to automate, however if you’re prepared to pay extra you can download software for other admin tasks too. Always read reviews before choosing software so that you know you’re downloading a programme that is good quality.
Delegate it
Another way to take the stress out of paperwork is simply to delegate it to another member of staff. A lot of business owners hire a secretary to handle admin tasks. Secretaries can help to handle admin tasks that may not be able to be automated such as making appointments, answering phone calls and even replying to emails.
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Of course, when hiring a secretary, you will need to pay them a decent salary for their work. Some business owners may feel that they don’t earn enough to justify hiring a full time secretary – another option could be to hire a part-time assistant or to share duties amongst existing members of staff.
Outsource it
It’s also possible to outsource your admin. This involves paying another company to do tasks such accounting or managing your payroll. Sites like Moneypenny Virtual Assistant Service have become popular for outsourcing tasks.
An advantage of outsourcing is that it costs much less that hiring in-house staff. Some companies also operate 24 hours so that they’re always able to carry out work on demand. You should always do your research when choosing a company to outsource. Trust is essential when outsourcing, especially when it comes to bookkeeping in which you may be sharing sensitive financial information, so read reviews and testimonials to get a good idea of a company’s credibility.
Keep Paperwork from Being a Huge Burden
Administrative problems are one of the biggest causes of entrepreneurial fatigue. You need to make sure that you take all reasonable steps to minimize the amount of paperwork that you need to perform. This can help you feel more energized and stay productive!