Claire, Plantpassion

Do you really need to do that job?

Time is a finite commodity, you can't make more of it, and when gone, it can't be replenished. BUT, good time management is key to making yourself more productive.
How do you know which jobs should be done first? And more importantly, as we discovered in Module 3 when talking about Pareto analysis -
Which jobs shouldn't be done at all?
I was taught this Urgency Matrix above and I use if frequently to make sure that I'm making my self the most productive that I can be.

Important versus Urgent

Something is important if not doing it will decrease your profits, increase
future work that you need to do or ensure that you have unhappy/ less
customers.
Something is urgent, if there is a deadline that is approaching that is
when it has to be completed.
Something is a priority 1 (urgent and important) if not doing it today will affect your business:
Example 1 : A customer bouquet order, which has been paid for online, and needs to be delivered today.
Example 2: The 1 tray of a variety of a plant that you need for an event later in the year needs planting out.

Something is a priority 2 (Important, not urgent) if it needs doing, but could be put off for a couple of days/weeks , this is when you need to plan it in.
Example 1: The wedding order for this week
Example 2: The beds are ready for the next set of plants, but they are still filling their modules, and need a couple of weeks more growth.

Something is a priority 3 (Urgent, not important) If you can't do it on your own, but it will need to be done in order for other jobs to be fitted in around it
Example 1: I have a large bed of Euphorbia plants that I can't sell. I need help taking them out, so that I can reuse the bed space, and I have plants ready to go in that space.
Something is priority 4 (Not Urgent, not important) if it doesn't increase your productivity or profitability. It should be left.
Example 1: My Mum is keen for us to sweep up the leaves to make the place look tidier, but I don’t have any workshops or customers coming to the farm until the spring.

Use the attached worksheet to work out how important or urgent all your current jobs are.

Importance Matrix check sheet

When do you work at your best?

I've now been self employed for 15 years, and my business has developed through lots of different stages, I've had huge peaks of productivity, and large troughs, where I don't feel I've achieved anything for weeks. So that I can now say for me I am most efficient when

I've had a good night's sleep
I've been eating healthily, and not drinking alcohol so I wake up without any aches and pains.
It's term time
I've made a get it done list the night before
I've got up as soon as my alarm rings
I've had a shower, and a cup of coffee, so I'm fired up to meet the day.
Carol's highest productivity

When I have a clear plan: what to do, in what order, where, and who is helping
When I have a deadline and lots to do!
When I’m paying someone to help me!
When all the tools and equipment are in the right place
When I can focus, not distracted by pegging the washing out, deciding what’s for tea, emails popping up...

Paula's list of What makes me productive?

A day on my own with absolutely no interruptions
A good start - 8.30 is perfect
3-4 tasks to get done in a day - I don't usually do more than 3 hours on
one job
Tea breaks
Early lunch - I usually eat at 11.30ish
Tools that work, in the right place
Comfortable working conditions with tables/benches etc., at the right
height
Cool, still weather

Sometimes we're very aware of when we are productive, and other times we have to stop and think.
Which of the following things effect your productivity the most?

Family
Health
Working conditions
Weather

I’ve attached a worksheet to make you think about your productivity. This isn't a do it once, and forget it exercise. Come back to it every time you think you need to up your game.

Optimum Productivity Checklist

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.jpg

There is a saying that
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
I worked with a garden centre manager who's father had been in the Army, and his take on this was
Piss Poor Planning Precedes Painfully Poor Performance.
He taught me that even for the smallest things, you need to plan before you go out to execute the job, so here are some of the planning things that you can do to make sure you are working at your utmost capabilities

Know your priorities
Limit distractions
Keep going back to your short term goals
Forget about perfection
Keep positive

“Question
What affected your productivity the most today?”