As a restaurant manager, you may think the restaurant business is anything but routine, that you spend your days putting out fires every 10 minutes. But along with all the unexpected events and challenges, there is a list of critical tasks that must take place like clockwork. Dealing with the unexpected, however, may cause you to forget the expected. To keep your daily systems on track, create a critical task list that matches up with your detailed manager job description.
As you’re making your list, note the approximate times at which the tasks should be performed. Organize them into a logical sequence, maximizing efficiency and freeing up time to do the things that will move your business ahead: planning, spending time with guests, teaching and coaching employees, and, ultimately, leaving work before you’ve hit the 50 hours per week mark. (Yes, it can be done!)
Keep in mind that it’s not only disorganization and failure to perform critical tasks that trap you in the building, but also your co-managers, especially the new ones, who have yet to fit their routines to your operation. Consequently, you end up trailing close behind them, picking up pieces of their shift responsibilities. As you train your co-managers, allowing them to do their jobs without stepping in when it’s not necessary, you’ll find yourself sweeping up the pieces less often.
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