Running a business can be a one-man job if you’re self-employed, but more often than not, it involves at least a few employees. Nevertheless, whether you have a one-man software development company, a 5-man crew of roofers, or a small manufacturing plant with 20 workers in it, it’s you who will be making the most important decisions and leading the workforce,
Therefore, as the business leader, the sharper your mind is and the more aware you are, the better decisions you will be making towards improving the performance of the company and growing it beyond its current status. Given that our minds do not just get sharper on their own, we have a few quick tips, exercises and activities for you that should help with getting there.
Sharpen your budget by playing competitors off against each other
Whatever expenditures your business has to pay, it’s all but certain that there will be competitors to your existing suppliers who will be keen to offer you a better price than you’re getting now if you’re willing to let them.
Let’s take your business’s energy suppliers as an example. You can do a fast, simple energy comparison through a platform like Quotezone, which will give alternative suppliers the chance to offer you a better price than you’re currently received from your existing electricity or gas suppliers.
This isn’t just about energy comparison though, because you should be able to find a better deal on almost any expenditure or overhead if you’re willing to let competing companies compete for your business.
Sharpen your mind by thinking differently
All of the tips mentioned below are proven and potent, so practice them effectively to see a remarkable change in your overall mental performance, across life and business.
- Change your dominant hand from right to left or vice-versa, twice or thrice a week for a whole day
- Take up playing speed chess for 15 – 30 minutes a day; it will make you sharper
- Try learning something that you are really bad at; don’t spend more than a few minutes at a time on it per day
- Solve puzzles as a hobby; it will help in developing problem-solving skills, analytical ability, and pattern recognition skills
- Learn to use caffeine intelligently for maximising productivity
- Fill knowledge gaps with short, online courses
Sharpen your productivity by overcoming procrastination
Procrastination is the biggest enemy that we have, as far as business or personal growth is concerned. When you know it’s time to do something and you have the opportunity to do it, don’t wait.
After you see and verify a solution to a longstanding problem, don’t wait. Now that you know how to curb some of your costs and sharpen your mind, don’t wait and start applying them from today.
We skipped the usual, eat well, sleep well and exercise routine with this one because it’s just stating the obvious! Dedicate a few minutes of your day with these activities and take care of important details such as insurance and energy comparison like we mentioned. With a combination of practical awareness, active steps, and methodical mental training, you will see better results from both your business and yourself, as compared to what you are used to right now.