When running a not-for-profit organisation or membership association time is your number one resource. Time management correlates directly with productivity – the less time you can spend completing a task, the more you can preserve your work-life balance. We understand this is especially important for volunteers who may be juggling their responsibilities to the organisation alongside a job.
We’ve put together these time saving ideas to keep your workday on track.
Schedule
Prioritisation and planning are one of the most important strategies you can undertake to save time.
Ask yourself how much time you need for each of your daily tasks, prioritising the most important ones. Organise your working time into 15 or 30 minute blocks and allocate each block appropriately.
Ensure that you are leaving enough free time to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Learn to say no
Saying no is often the thing people find hardest to do, but this is something that is vital to stay on track with your tasks.
It is very easy to overload yourself with work and burnout. It is important to remember that you are allowed to say no, and that you do not have to accept every task that is thrown your way. The likelihood is that there will be somebody else available for that work to be delegated to.
Always make sure you have enough time in your schedule to take on a new task before committing.
Take a Break
It is an absolute necessity to take regular breaks during your working hours.
When you feel rushed and don’t allow yourself time to take a break, you can expect a decline in productivity and concentration levels.
It is important to take time off to recharge and gather your thoughts – taking short regular breaks can often help us regain concentration and spark new ideas.
Hire Help
Hiring for help doesn’t always mean you have to employ staff. You aren’t expected to know every intricacy of running a not for profit or membership association – it is often a better idea to outsource administration work to experienced specialist companies to take some of the stress away.
Letting go of every little task you manage can be hard, but it frees up time and gives you an opportunity to work on the bigger picture – often allowing you to develop the organisation and in turn generate more benefits for your members.
Hiring help is an investment in your organisation, not a burden on your budget.
How we can Help
We offer a remote office service and admin support to fulfil the needs of your not for profit or association.
Our services include:
- Admin
- Finance
- Secretarial
- Events
- Tailored advice and support
Please contact us to discuss how we can help you.
