How do you manage your time?

This is pretty basic really. Management 101. But I have to ask everyone who manages a retail business: do you start your day with a to do list? My follow-up questions is: do you check that you’ve completed everything?

I am sometimes surprised at how much management time is spent running a retail store. It’s usually considerably more than a chain store (or department) of a similar revenue size. I’ve noticed in some stores where there is way more management time spent that I’d expect – there is no plan for the day, week or month, no to-do list. Days happy … they’re always busy … I am told.  But I am also told that they don’t get to important projects because there is no time.

Time availability is a function of how you manage it.

I start every day with a to-do list. Always have.