I'm A One Man Band, How Do I Play All The Intruments?

[Revelationroadshow 0]

After a year of doing this lark full time, I just wondered how the rest of you manage to fit in everything you need to do. It was a little diferent when I was part time, primarily because I didn't rely on the business to pay for my life.

 

There are times when I am pulling my hair out!

 

I'm sure there are many of you who do the same, but I have to be the Managing director, the Accounts manager, Sales team, secretary, web designer, receptionist, DJ, chocolate fountian operator, storeman and engineer all at the same time!

 

I have never been under any illusion that running your own business is hard work and I wouldn't go back to working for someone else, but how do the rest of you cope with the workload.

 

Unless I'm the only one this busy, for example, yesterday I had the following on my to do list:

 

1. 2 x client visit

2. 3 x booking confirmation letters

3. 2 x paperwork to post out

4. Write terms and conditions for new service

5. Upload forms and terms to web site

6. complete two wedding / prom show booking forms and pay

7. Purchase stock for Firday and Saturday events (Chocolate fountain / Popcorn & candy floss)

8. download music ready for Saturday gig

9. respond to emails

10. man office phone

11. Update Google calender, office diary and wall planner

12. Complete 2 new interner directory listings

13. bring accounts up to date ready for accountant

14. Complete banking

 

I could go on, but that's about 2 thirds of the list, not helped by the glow plug coming out on our espace on the way to my first client visit!

[Bouncy Dancefloor 0]

over half of those jobs could have been done any day this week, so i dont think they count

 

i have 2 job lists going at all times

 

One is stuff that needs doing ASAP, such as contracts, chasing contracts etc

 

One is stuff that needs doing, but the odd day or two wont matter. Such as website updates, directory submissions and accounts

[deejaymitch 0]

Bouncy is spot on. You have to prioritise. Your "to do" list can become all-consuming if you let it. Try the RAG system that seems to be everywhere these days. Mark items Red for urgent, Amber for important but not urgent, and Green for those things that aren't pressing. And be realistic, not everything is as important/urgent as we make it seem sometimes. Put everything in perspective, prioritise your tasks, and plan your day/week around this. And no matter how long these lists get, always make some time in your schedule for yourself, to either socialise or just relax.

[BigBen 0]

Is this a question about time management, Rev., prioritising your work, internal systems or do you just think you have too much to do?

 

If it is a time management issue then you can read a book, attend a course or just look on the web for ideas. A course I went on told me to list everything I had to do - both personal and business in one long list. Then you give every item on that list an A, B or C - A is for immediate action, C isn't that important and B is for everything in between.

 

Then you go through your A list and give everything a number starting at 1 for the most pressing task, 2 for the next most pressing, etc. When you've done this you start working at item A1, then A2, etc. Dismiss the B's and C's until the A's are completed.

 

Some people had trouble prioritising. They didn't know what should be an A or what order to do the A's in. In this case you need to decide what your most important task is. Is it sending out invoices? Banking cheques? Chasing late payments? You need to break the task down - a cheque can be banked anytime from 9am until 3:30pm but it will still go into your account on that same day. Post, nowadays, is usually only picked up at 5:30. Therefore, chasing a late payment is now your priority followed by banking cheques and, finally, sending out the invoices.

 

If the question concerned having too much to do then you need to go through your jobs to see which ones actually achieve your objectives. Anything that doesn't fit with what you are trying to achieve should be dropped. Another time management 'trick' is to stop doing a task regularly if you could do it once a month. An example here could be your accounts - instead of spending an hour a week on prepping the books you could spend two or three hours once a month.

 

It's all basic stuff that I'm sure you already do. I guess you are asking whether everyone is as busy as you? Well, yes, but maybe they have better systems in place or have managed to offload some of the less important admin tasks to a loved one. Maybe they have even outsourced the less important tasks (eg web site) to someone who could do a better job more efficiently and effectively?

 

The other angle is that maybe you're not cut out for running your own business. Every self-employed book starts by pointing out that it is not for everyone. I enjoy working from home but boy do I miss the fun I used to have at work, the pension contributions, BUPA, sick-pay, etc. I still joke how I used to get paid for sitting on the toilet!

 

Of course, maybe you have bitten off more than you could chew. Is one section of the business more hassle than it's worth? Does the chocolate fountain actually make you money after you take off all the hours you invest in it? I know how hard they are to clean!

 

Be interested to know more...

[Spear 0]

Sorry but that doesn't seem like a great deal to get done providing you've organised everything properly,

besides you should have more time if you are no longer trying to fit a day job around it as well as all those jobs still need to be done part- time or full-time makes no difference.

 

I admit my working day is 14hrs when I'm not gigging more when I am so I may not be the best person to comment but I think getting stressed about things often makes things seem worse than it really is.

 

Take a step back look at things with a clear head and as the other say prioritise if needed.

[YourBigEvent 0]

Wanna swop.

 

If I only had 13 odd jobs per day, I'd be happy !

 

Today for example, not because it is any busier/quieter than any other day, just because it is today !

 

1. Walk the dog

2. Complete 13 booking forms that have been returned to me, along with the cheques

3. Complete banking

4. Send out 3 booking forms/quotes

5. Just off to do the banking now

6. Buy flowers for cake on Saturday

7. Buy music for upcoming gigs

8. Go and visit daughter, as she is still in bed all the time

9. Buy stationary in Staples

10. Food shopping on the way home

11. Open todays post

12. Meeting with client

13. etc etc etc

 

Haven't even put down the usual things, normal make/receive about 20 - 40 calls on my mobile, 10 - 20 on office, 1 -2 on home phone, check email, respond to the ones that make my willy bigger !

 

Than do all of the above for the four other businesses.

 

Some days it takes 3 or 4 ours, some days 18 hours, but wouldn't have it any other way.

 

Oh and job number 1001 - Go to bed.

 

 

[Revelationroadshow 0]

Is this a question about time management, Rev., prioritising your work, internal systems or do you just think you have too much to do?

 

If it is a time management issue then you can read a book, attend a course or just look on the web for ideas. A course I went on told me to list everything I had to do - both personal and business in one long list. Then you give every item on that list an A, B or C - A is for immediate action, C isn't that important and B is for everything in between.

 

Then you go through your A list and give everything a number starting at 1 for the most pressing task, 2 for the next most pressing, etc. When you've done this you start working at item A1, then A2, etc. Dismiss the B's and C's until the A's are completed.

 

Some people had trouble prioritising. They didn't know what should be an A or what order to do the A's in. In this case you need to decide what your most important task is. Is it sending out invoices? Banking cheques? Chasing late payments? You need to break the task down - a cheque can be banked anytime from 9am until 3:30pm but it will still go into your account on that same day. Post, nowadays, is usually only picked up at 5:30. Therefore, chasing a late payment is now your priority followed by banking cheques and, finally, sending out the invoices.

 

If the question concerned having too much to do then you need to go through your jobs to see which ones actually achieve your objectives. Anything that doesn't fit with what you are trying to achieve should be dropped. Another time management 'trick' is to stop doing a task regularly if you could do it once a month. An example here could be your accounts - instead of spending an hour a week on prepping the books you could spend two or three hours once a month.

 

It's all basic stuff that I'm sure you already do. I guess you are asking whether everyone is as busy as you? Well, yes, but maybe they have better systems in place or have managed to offload some of the less important admin tasks to a loved one. Maybe they have even outsourced the less important tasks (eg web site) to someone who could do a better job more efficiently and effectively?

 

The other angle is that maybe you're not cut out for running your own business. Every self-employed book starts by pointing out that it is not for everyone. I enjoy working from home but boy do I miss the fun I used to have at work, the pension contributions, BUPA, sick-pay, etc. I still joke how I used to get paid for sitting on the toilet!

 

Of course, maybe you have bitten off more than you could chew. Is one section of the business more hassle than it's worth? Does the chocolate fountain actually make you money after you take off all the hours you invest in it? I know how hard they are to clean!

 

Be interested to know more...

 

Some great responses, thank you.

 

I've never been a great organiser and have always had to use some of the tools that have been mentioned to prioritise my workload. I guess some people are just natural at this kind of task and others have to work a little harder to achieve the same thing. I would never try to pretend I am a natural! lol!

 

Bitten off more than I can chew? Maybe, but then I am sure there are loads of other people running there own business who would think that at times. Would I give it up and go back to the 9 - 5? Don't even need a moment to think about that, there is absolutely no way I would trade what I do now for what I did before. I don't miss is one little bit. We have a 15 month old daughter, so to be fair that doesn't help. I have wondered for a while now if I would be more productive if I didn't have an office at home, but equally I would miss out on the family time I get BECAUSE I am at home.

 

Does the Chocolate fountain make money, is the pope catholic! I'll let you do the sums, average fee £450, avaerage cost per booking £100 (which includes travel, staff etc...) and we currently have 25 booked for this year. Do I love running a chocolate fountain? Not really, but then that's why I'm a DJ. If you've looked at our website you will see there is a lot more on offer as well. Why? Is it too much? Well, we have recognised that you both need to be on top of the next big thing (which currently is Candy Buffets and Sky lanterns) AND understand that most of the things we do will have a shelf life and we need to be ready with the next idea when the current one becomes unpopular! Juggling them all is not easy.

 

The list I posted for yesterday was by way of example (and of course not prioritised at all) and was certainly not everything I actually did yesterday. The problem may well in part be about prioritising the workload, but is is also about recognising the things you can't do. I'm doing quite well now and generally spend my Monday getting ready for the coming weeks committments and I try to make sure taht customer communication is done as a first job, but the task list is endless. Maybe some of you don't see marketing as a priority, but without the marketing there is no work and without the work there is no income. That makes things like the wedding shows and the fairs we want to do in the autumn a huge priority. So even assessing the priorities and dealing with things in the right order, there is still a huge huge amount of work to be done.

 

I'm not complaining and I am not ready to do a boring 9 - 5 job again. I absolutely love what I do, but I guess I am interested to ind out how others manage a full time company and the workload that goes with it.

 

I managed to miss just one point - passing on some of the workload to others, maybe the wife. Unfortunately as I hinted earlier, I have a wife with a full time job as a mother and although she runs fountains, sets up candy buffets and makes calls for me from time to time, her energy and resources must be as a mother and not a secretary or admin clerk. She also has a PC knowledge which stops shortly after the "pay" button on internet sites!

 

Enjoying the responses though, thanks

[vokf 0]

Interesting posts guys. I totally sympathise with the OP. I have a full-time job, have quite a few other projects on the go- and of course the DJ side...

 

I personally prioritise - if I've a gig coming up I need to prepare for that, but fairly often hit a deadlock of time.

Carmen can't normally help (she's fine with sorting playlists, but can't code!)

Normally, none of my projects are critical (other than gigs), so I do sometimes decide not to work and simply go down the pub or watch a film with Carmen.

 

 

Reading the OP's list - some can be combined if you're organised. 2 client visits, can be combined with posting paperwork and possibly banking (if its simply posting cheques).

 

Some people delegate a specific day for paperwork (accounts/webstuff/etc), and that may help.

 

I often think about how I would cope full-time self/employed... and would probably be in the same boat!

I think this is a common problem with small companies, and its easy to think that the main work is DJing - you've shown that running this full-time is much more work than simply going out and providing the service.

 

Good luck - think think this kind of thing can be learnt. You'll probably find other things to fill the time, once you've optimised things....

 

Jason

[UKHero 0]

After a year of doing this lark full time, I just wondered how the rest of you manage to fit in everything you need to do. It was a little diferent when I was part time, primarily because I didn't rely on the business to pay for my life.

 

There are times when I am pulling my hair out!

 

I'm sure there are many of you who do the same, but I have to be the Managing director, the Accounts manager, Sales team, secretary, web designer, receptionist, DJ, chocolate fountian operator, storeman and engineer all at the same time!

 

I have never been under any illusion that running your own business is hard work and I wouldn't go back to working for someone else, but how do the rest of you cope with the workload.

 

Unless I'm the only one this busy, for example, yesterday I had the following on my to do list:

 

1. 2 x client visit

2. 3 x booking confirmation letters

3. 2 x paperwork to post out

4. Write terms and conditions for new service

5. Upload forms and terms to web site

6. complete two wedding / prom show booking forms and pay

7. Purchase stock for Firday and Saturday events (Chocolate fountain / Popcorn & candy floss)

8. download music ready for Saturday gig

9. respond to emails

10. man office phone

11. Update Google calender, office diary and wall planner

12. Complete 2 new interner directory listings

13. bring accounts up to date ready for accountant

14. Complete banking

 

I could go on, but that's about 2 thirds of the list, not helped by the glow plug coming out on our espace on the way to my first client visit!

 

 

Hmm so busy yet still have time to sit and type all that out on DJU lol..... You just have to priorotise most of the jobs you mention above are two minute jobs... Infact not even worth adding to a todo list IMHO as it would take you just as long to add them to the to do list than it would to well just do them.......

 

Nik

[Bouncy Dancefloor 0]

a good point by Nik, working like a dog, but still got time for the forum!

 

on Tuesday my main list had 17 things on it, its now thursday and its now got 18 things on it, the difference is, ive scribbed out 7 jobs and written on 8 more. The difference is they are written down, so they dont get forgotten and i can scan the page looking for important jobs

[TonyB 0]

I find using DJEP made my life a whole lot easier.

 

When I used to get an enquiry, it used to mean typing all the information into an access database. Merging into a word doc to print off contracts etc, making separate accounting entries & entries in the diary (used outlook). Emails had to be sent separately.

 

With DJEP, client fills in their own details which with one click of a button set up a client and venue record (existing venue records are used if they already exist). Read through the enquiry, give the client a call, select an appropriate email for a reply and click send. If they accept a booking, a few more clicks and it prints out contracts/covering letters etc. It handles all the accounting, deposits, fees, expenses, equipment list, diary reminders etc.

 

I agree it is a shock to the system going from a full time job where you have other people to handle things like accounting/marketing etc so you can concentrate more on your own job.

 

The $99 for DJEP has probably more than paid for itself in the time it has saved.

 

 

[Raymilkybarkid 0]

I think planning is essential as your business develops the paperwork etc will increase, then you will employ a person to do a few hours a week as we did then it becomes 2-3 days then before you know it you have 6 members of staff.

 

Its hard at first but you need to set yourself some goals to work to, E.g banking on Monday, contracts monday PM and so on...

I can remember when i first set out I never planned my days and ended up doing everything in a mad rush and panic, then you will end up making mistakes which could end up costing you money.

[YourBigEvent 0]

0315hrs now and about to start about 40 minutes paperwork. Does that make me busy or stupid ?

[YourBigEvent 0]

OK, 8am now.

I call it stupid !

[Spear 0]

OK, 8am now.

I call it stupid !

I guess that's what Brummie does to you :zzz: