Time your most precious resource. From both a ‘Ma and Pa’ business to an international company, establishing how to make the most out of your employee’s time to ensure their productivity is the most important aspect of management.

From this stand point, it is obvious that prioritization becomes the most valuable means of processing and executing between numerous different options.

In business, there are not only a near infinite number of activities in which you can invest your time such as winning new business, nurturing existing accounts, and ensuring a high ROI, but there are a number of ways to achieve each.

Here are three simple questions you should ask yourself before starting each new task in order to ensure that your time is fully optimized and none of your precious time is wasted:

1) "What Is Our Goal?"

When pursuing your goal, arguably the most important facet is to focus on a clear objective. The easiest way to ensure this is to define what you hope to achieve at the beginning of the task. By thinking in terms of the ideal end result, you will ensure you remain focused on the task at hand.

This thinking should be applied both internally externally. Goals are just as important when dealing with those within your company as when trying to win new business from the outside. For example, what do you want to achieve from this meeting? Or what from this call?

2) "Is This Helpful To Our Brand?"

Your companies brand and the way it is perceived is crucial. Not just in the eyes of your existing clients and prospects, but also in the eyes of other market leaders and indeed within your own company’s employees. Your brand plays arguably the most significant role in whether someone will trust in the service you are offering.

Therefore, you need to ensure that with every interaction, again both internally and externally, you are focusing on ensuring your company’s brand is never out of mind. Big brands build bigger business.

3) "How Can We Improve?"

With every call, every meeting, and every email, you should be seeking to understand what you can do better next time. Personal development is the most vital part of any successful business.

Realizing that you can perform better, and using your previous experience to understand how will prevent your business from stagnating within the market and ensure constant growth. Even Apple, with their billions in the bank, regularly change the market with their new technology. If the biggest companies in the world refuse to rest on their laurels, why should you?

For more information on Goal Setting, click here.