How to Find the High-Value Activities You Should be Working On

Have you ever asked yourself, how do I find a way to work smarter and not harder?  The most successful organizations focus on the highest value activities in their business and understand how to systematically accomplish those tasks.  But, you can’t do this if you don’t know the right activities to focus on in your organization.

How to identify High-Value Activities

You may be asking yourself what makes activities high-value.  Well, it’s simple.  Any activity taking you closer to your goals is a high-value activity.  Additionally, an activity that positively impacts your business’s bottom line is high-value.

Now that you understand what high-value means let’s discuss why it’s essential to focus on high-value activities.

 

Why it’s Important to Focus on Value

First, the basics are time and money.  Where is your time being spent, and is it generating income? You need to find the places where you are wasting time and other resources, like checking emails and unnecessary meetings.

It’s almost like creating a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis to ensure that you are on the correct path.  Once you find out where and how you are spending your time, it’s as simple as creating a process to evaluate the value of each activity. Finding a system that will work for you is essential. Once you determine these high-value activities, you must diligently follow up on them by monitoring and consistently improving upon them.

 

How to be Systematic about Creating a Process

Finding what works for your organization and for you is imperative.  You will need to start either a quality management or workflow process for these activities. Many programs will help you address where you are spending and wasting your time.  Project management software like Monday is free and beneficial.

I use Monday in my personal and work life to control my schedule and activities and find out where I am gaining or losing momentum. I can see where I am successful, what I need to improve, and which activities generate or lose income.  Simple programs like this are beneficial.  Smaller businesses may not be ready to implement project management or activity software; an Excel spreadsheet will work for now.

 

Getting Closer to your Goals by Understanding Why These are High-Value Activities

Is your business currently on track to where you want to be in one month, one year, or five years?  Take a hard look at your organization and focus on what is working.  Take a look at your return on investment (ROI).  What activities are directly attached to ROI?  Perhaps one area of your business is genuinely taking off; it may be a good idea to focus on that area and make it a high-value activity. 

 

Benefits of this Type of Thinking

The benefits of this type of thinking can be summed up in one word, change. Changing for the better because you are streamlining by focusing on activities that will bring you closer to achieving your goals.  Having a clear understanding of which activities are bringing the most success for you and your business is crucial.

Organization, workflow, and enhanced morale will increase during this change because employees will all be moving toward the same goals and wasting less time and resources. The flow is towards a simplistic and direct system focused on high-value activities.

 

It Will Create Success

Prioritization

You know what to place at the forefront of your task list when you can determine the high-value activities. These activities are essential because they generate income, move the business along, align with your overall goals and mission, and help you gain momentum.  And momentum will keep your staff and goals flourishing through the ups and downs of your business.

Productivity 

The more aligned these activities are with your business, the more you accomplish.  Figure out what you, and only you, can do for your business first.  What are the tasks that you are best at?  Perhaps you are the best person for reaching out to companies to generate leads and contracts.  Perhaps you are an excellent motivator for inspiring your staff to do their best at everyday tasks. Providing inspiration that increases productivity and generates income is a high-value activity.

High-value activities will increase employee focus and productivity and help organizations align their activities with their goals and prioritize them.  Establishing high-value activities and ensuring the completion of those activities will help your organization grow.

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