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How to Make a More Productive Monday on Friday

With another hectic week coming to a close and the excitement of the weekend just hours away, it’s no wonder why Fridays are less than practically productive. In some business environments, it’s the unofficial slack-off day, one comprised of mundane tasks, a bit of cleanup, and perhaps, some tying of loose ends. Plans for the weekend take away attention from the inbox, and minds wander. Fridays, by-and-large, are informal work days, and that’s a shame, because these could serve as launch pad for serious Monday productivity.

How to Make a More Productive Monday on Friday

Ironically, Mondays aren’t much better, as these are the days returning from the weekends dreamed about on Fridays. The first day of the work week is one that’s often dreaded, in-part because of what wasn’t done on Friday. Talk about a dichotomy, this one scores high on the list. What’s worse, is that your team members aren’t alone in this experience, because you too, are right alongside them, especially on Friday afternoon, after lunch.

Monday mornings are the most critical time of the workweek — they set the stage for the day and week ahead. Most successful people are keenly aware of the typical Monday-morning workplace dynamic of unanticipated events, overflow of communications, and general chaos. —Business Insider

Even with all your entrepreneurial drive, you too, are ready to enjoy the downtime the weekend delivers, and it’s important because it lets you let go, at least enough to refresh. This dynamic doesn’t have to bedevil your company, or more particularly, you. There are some things you can do to make a more productive Monday on Friday:

Plan in advance for the following week. Monday is often treated with disdain precisely because of what it holds in-store. Ironically, it’s what wasn’t done on Friday that makes this a reality. Mondays don’t have to be a scramble to catch-up, they can be a productive day, if you prepare on Friday. So, prime your sales pipeline, get organized, and plan out the week. You’ll do yourself a huge favor, and you’ll avoid that nagging feeling that you forgot something.
Identify one or more things to get done today. Instead of counting down the clock to the end of the day, look at the time available to use for a task or two that’s yet to be completed. When you tackle a project, even if it’s small, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, and not guilty about taking time for yourself over the weekend.
Reach out to customers early in the day. Because Friday is a lackadaisical day in so many offices, you can use this phenomenon to your advantage. Reach out to customers you haven’t connected with in awhile, and double down by following-up with deals in-the-works.
Leave a small reward to enjoy on Monday. One reason Mondays seem so bland is because they lack reward. Whatever it is that perks you up, and not just a cup of coffee, like a favorite snack, put it aside for next week. You can even set a reminder to make it all the more special.
Begin the week with thoughtful recognition. There is probably at least one person who helped you out this week, perhaps two or three. Show your appreciation by picking something up for them over the weekend and surprising them on Monday. It will keep you eager to get back Monday morning, and will create a sense of appreciation and excitement to the recipient(s).

Another thing you can do on Friday to make Monday more productive is to get that one pain point out of the way. It will make the weekend all the more enjoyable and sweet, plus, it won’t daunt you next week. I started doing this in the form of a game or competition. How many pain point, or high priority projects, phone calls or tasks could I accomplish before I leave on Friday? How many projects or priorities do I have on Monday that I could complete on Friday to make Monday an easy start? And it is working for me with higher productivity, growth and more free time. Make your Friday count so that Monday is a breeze!

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Should I Build an App for My Business

June 14, 2019 No Comments

If you’re thinking about building an app for your business, there are a few things you should know. Yes, these can be great marketing and communication tools, but there are most definitely downsides. So, it’s important to understand a few key factors in order to make an informed decision. As with anything else, there are pros and cons. Biggest Business App Cons The first negative is the cost. Not only the initial expense to build out the application but the ongoing costs associated with maintaining it. Then, there is the use factor. Just how useful will this app be to your customers? Remember, even if it provides a lot of necessary function, there’s another challenge, which is adoption. From a business standpoint, a dedicated mobile app can offer a variety of new capabilities and benefits. Mobile apps allow you to engage customers on a deeper level, building stronger customer relationships and allowing access to a suite of features that can help retain existing customers, encourage repeat purchases, and tap into brand new markets. But it’s not all upside: mobile apps come with drawbacks, as well. —Small Biz Daily Consumers already suffer from a phenomenon known as app fatigue. And, the numbers are astounding. Fewer than .01 percent of all mobile apps will return a positive ROI. Also, approximately 52 percent of all mobile apps lose at least half their peak users after just three months. Additionally, any changes will incur substantial costs. In other words, changing up or integrating new features will prove expensive. Top Business App Benefits Of course, it’s not all bad news. There are some good reasons to build a mobile app for a business. Here are the largest advantages of having an app for your business: Speed. Desktop websites and even mobile sites are generally slower. By contrast, mobile apps usually sport a quicker response time, which is key. Communication. Mobile apps offer a few different methods of communications, all from the same jumping point. Plus, you can send push notifications to let customers know about an upcoming event, discount offers, and other important information. Ease of access. Another attractive feature of a mobile app is the fact it’s always within reach. Customers do not have to remember a web address or conduct an online search to find important information quickly. Exclusivity. When someone opens an app for a business, be it for a restaurant, hotel, or retailer, they are there for a specific purpose. And, because it’s your app, the experience is exclusive. Plus, there’s no threat of distractions like there is in organic search, a browser with several open tabs that compete for attention, or even a desktop site which might display ads. What other upsides and downsides would you add to this list? Have you built an app for your business? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

If You’re Too Nice, You’ll Hurt Your Business, Here’s Why

August 30, 2018 No Comments

Just be nice. You’ve heard it from your mother. You heard it in kindergarten (and through school). It’s on tee-shirts and bumper stickers. And, it’s good advice, for the most part. But, it’s a recipe for disaster when it’s always your default disposition. Sure, you should be nice to people as it’s the polite thing to do. But, being too nice will cause all kinds of unintentional issues. Read on to see why. How Assertiveness can Hurt You On the flip side, being too assertive can also be quite harmful. Don’t get the wrong impression. You do need to be assertive, just at the right “temperature.” If you are too assertive, you’ll come across as overbearing. And, downright mean, in some situations. People also might think you too coarse and possibly aloof or antipathetic. Leaders are placed under a tremendous amount of pressure to be relatable, human and … nice. Many yield to this instinct, because it feels much easier to be liked. Few people want to be the bad guy. But leaders are also expected to make the tough decisions that serve the company or the team’s best interests. Being too nice can be lazy, inefficient, irresponsible, and harmful to individuals and the organization. —Havard Business Review Assertiveness can also be taken as overly self-serving. Basically, it’s an attitude that can easily come across the wrong way in more ways than one. Although, assertiveness does have a purpose and when it’s used strategically, it’s highly effective. That’s because striking a balance gives you the best of both worlds and a positive perspective. Which ultimately helps you to see things more clearly and make better decisions. Top Ways being Too Nice is Harmful Conversely, being too nice, is at best, problematic. It creates illusions that simply can’t be sustained. In essence, it’s a false impression, even if you’re being genuine. How? Well, here’s how being too nice is harmful in business: You project weakness. When you’re overly nice, you’re perceived as a pushover. It’s that simple. People who have this impression will try to take advantage, when and where they can. And, that sets-up a bad scenario. You attract the wrong people. Another problem with being too nice is that it does attract the wrong sort of people. Some others will take this as a green light to burden you with their own problems. Which means, you’re inviting unnecessary stress and drama into your life. People might feel distrustful. Niceness can bring out negative feelings in others you interact with. For instance, someone could sense you’re actually concealing your true feelings and merely putting up a front. So, they manifest a sense of distrustfulness. You bias your own expectations. When you’re constantly nice, you might make others feel better. But, you’re also inadvertently warping your own expectations, thinking everyone else should treat you the same. How do you balance being courteous and polite with also being assertive? What other advice would you offer? Please share your thoughts and experiences! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

How to Deal with Bad, Fake Reviews

August 26, 2020 No Comments

You work hard to give your customers a great experience and earn their trust. You’ve built a great reputation in your industry, but out of nowhere, comes this scorching online review. Aside from its negative connotation, you’re baffled by the fact that you have absolutely no idea who this person is or any recollection of this particular transaction. You quickly conclude that it’s a fake. Even so, others will surely see it and that’s just not good for business. So, what can you do about a bad, fake review? Why Online Reviews Matter Online reviews matter. They matter because people use them to judge the quality of a product or service. This is especially true on the internet because there’s no interpersonal input. Let’s face it, it’s a whole lot easier to read reviews than call and email dozens of people to get their feedback on something they might not even have purchased before. These attacks can have huge consequences for a company’s bottom line. Eighty-five percent of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation and every one-star increase can lead to a 5 to 9 percent increase in revenue. Online reviews are also an important ranking signal in Google’s algorithm. —Forbes This is widely understood and is the exact reason why nefarious individuals write bad, fake reviews. They are obviously trying to discourage others from doing business with the victim company. It’s probably a rival but it could be just about anyone — even someone who is just engaging in a malicious prank. How to Deal with Bad, Fake Reviews Regardless of who it is, you can’t let a bad, fake review hurt your reputation. You must do something about it. But, that doesn’t mean angrily snapping back. Here are a few helpful suggestions for how to deal with a bad, fake review: Report the fake review. If you are certain it’s fraudulent, then contact the website where the review was left, whether it’s Facebook, Google, Yelp, or another. You’ll have to go through a process and it might take a bit of time and effort. So, be prepared for dedicating some resources. Look for more bad impostors. Although you spotted this one, that doesn’t mean it’s the only one floating on the web. Search around to see if there are more because if it’s a concerted effort, chances are excellent there are more. (It might even be duplicated word-for-word on other sites.) Respond, but do so strategically. When you do reply, write something like, “We take our customers’ experiences to heart. Unfortunately, we have no record or recollection of any transaction. If you’ve done business with us, we’ll be more than happy to look into the matter. Please contact [name] at [email] so we can mutually resolve this issue.” This probably won’t cause the fraudster to respond, but it does show you’re willing to take the matter seriously to others. What other suggestions do you have for dealing with bad, fake reviews? Please take a moment to comment so others can learn about your thoughts and experiences! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

How to Make a More Productive Monday on Friday

How to Make a More Productive Monday on Friday

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Related Posts

Should I Build an App for My Business

If You’re Too Nice, You’ll Hurt Your Business, Here’s Why

How to Deal with Bad, Fake Reviews