Productivity Hacks for Busy Restaurateurs

Restaurant managers and owners majorly enjoy a lively, fun, and exciting career. On the flip side, the job can also be busy, demanding, and stressful. Managers wear many hats wherein a given day; you may need to be a counselor, host, accountant, firefighter, mediator, etc. Managers often work ungodly hours where they are the first to arrive and last to leave. It can quickly lead to chronic fatigue and burnout.

Sadly, many entrepreneurs believe that doing it all is the key to productivity. Unfortunately, working long hours and multitasking negatively affects productivity. MIT researchers discovered that multitasking reduces productivity up to 40%. Here are some productivity hacks to live by as a busy restaurateur to avoid this.

1. Recognize and Kill Time Vampires

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Take time and identify any people, tasks, or events that drag down your productivity. Start by honestly recording how you spend your time each day for a couple of weeks. Do not forget to include interruptions and breaks. It will give you a true picture of what needs to be “killed” to ensure you are spending your time wisely. By getting rid of some things, you will notice that you can focus more on core operations to become more productive even when working fewer hours. The goal is to work smarter and not harder.

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2. Always Turn on Location Notifications

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Most restaurant managers or owners have a huge to-do list that they probably never get to complete. If to-do lists work, aim to complete most items before deadlines, prioritizing the most important. Thanks to advancements in technology, Android and Apple users can attach their lists to a physical location. This will give you a push notification when you are in the area or close by to make certain you do not forget to complete a certain task because you are too busy. Follow the instructions to use location-based reminders on Apple products.

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3. Learn when to Switch Tasks

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Even when armed with a serious to-do list, interruptions are quite common when working in the restaurant industry. It demands due diligence on your end to know whether it’s truly worth it to abandon a task you are working on to pay attention to another. You can use several strategies to help with this like:

• Eisenhower Box Strategy- developed by Dwight. D Eisenhower, it’s a framework that prods you to evaluate whether the other task is worth your attention critically. Politely say no if it’s not as urgent as the one you are working on.
  
  
• Calendly is a system you can use to schedule time in your calendar to avoid interruptions that kill productivity.

4. Invest in Automation Tools and Templates

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Managers, at times, are bombed with phone calls, emails, and texts from co-workers. It can be helpful to integrate pre-written scripts and templates, which will reduce the amount of time you take to get back to your team. With Gmail, you can develop templates that will reply to emails automatically. It is also beneficial to work with scheduling apps that streamline the scheduling process, freeing you plenty of time for critical administrative duties.

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5. Create a Conducive Environment

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Another secret towards increasing productivity is creating an ideal work environment. You can achieve this through numerous ways, including:

• Incorporate feng shui with your décor
  
  
• Get rid of clutter as it may help with mental clutter
  
  
• Enhance natural light exposure as it is known to improve mood and productivity
  
  
• Get a sun lamp or therapy box to get the appropriate dose of lux to trigger biochemical changes in your brain to regulate serotonin and melatonin.
  
  
• Include some indoor plants in your office because they can also help boost productivity

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6. Delegate

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It is one of the productivity-boosting points we should bold, capitalize, and write in red. While many restaurant managers or owners want to act like superheroes doing everything on their own, it can backfire on them. Capitalize on having amazing workers who can help you run the establishment the way you want. By delegating, you will also be giving your staff a chance to prove whether they are worthy. It can assist you in deciding on the individuals to promote, keep, or let go depending on your eatery’s vision.

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7. Take Care of Your Entire Being

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You cannot be a successful entrepreneur or manager if you do not care for yourself. Brigham Young University researchers revealed that adopting healthy eating habits improves job performance up to 25%. If you run a fast-food joint, you do not want to eat the meals you prepare daily. Ensure you get in some exercise. Even if it’s not going to the gym, you can take a walk or follow some exercise routines online. Rest when you get tired so that you are always at your best at work.

Conclusion

Above are just a few hacks you can borrow from if you want to be a productive and successful restaurateur. While the list is not exhaustive, it is a helpful guideline that can see you regain your balance to enjoy enhanced productivity.