It’s a common occurrence in the food truck industry; you’re finishing up a busy lunch rush, and suddenly something comes up. You don’t stay focused and give the distraction too much attention. Thirty seconds, one minute, five minutes. When you get back to what you working on; you’ve no idea where you left off or why you’ve lost focus. There goes your valuable time and effort for something that should’ve been left for later.
We know it’s tough to shut out the world while you’re busy, the decision to stay focused during a busy shift is up to you. Today we’ll share some easy ways for you and your staff to stay focused.
RELATED: What Vendors Can Do When Their Food Trucks Get Too Busy
6 Simple Tips To Stay Focused During A Busy Shift
Make Sure Working In A Food Truck Is What You Want
Any job takes a large part of your focus. Before becoming a food truck owner, ask yourself why you should do it. Make sure your answer includes a result you desire. If not, the work required to get that result won’t be something you value. When you create something you can call your own, you’re more likely to stay focused on the tough tasks required to be successful.
Keep The Truck Organized
Too many things within arms’ reach can to be very distracting. To stay focused during busy shifts, design each workstation to only have the things needed to complete the tasks taken at that station. Put the rest away in a drawer, cabinet or shelves. Have an area set aside for personal food and drinks as well as other personal items.
Stay Hydrated
Make sure you have water within arms’ reach. Not only is drinking water healthy, but it keeps you refreshed as well. If you feel a sign of hunger or fatigue, a drink of water can keep them at a distance. Then you can finish your current task and stay focused instead of leaving your station to get water, and get distracted.
Stay Off Social Media
Social media sites aren’t meant to be checked all the time. So discipline yourself and your staff to only log on when you have extra time. Unless you have a dedicated social media staff member, jumping on Facebook or Twitter. This will keep you and the staff focused on the task at hand.
Develop A Phone Use Policy
Phone calls during a shift should be reserved for important concerns. Calls about the last night’s date should be left for breaks or off-hours. Keeping this type of rule will help keep you and your staff focused while at work. Request your staff to inform your callers that you’ll get back to them at a later time instead of always tapping your back or shouting out that you’ve got a call.
Once that busy rush has slowed you can call back the callers. Unless there is an emergency, limit phone conversations to less than three minutes. In regards to instant messaging, set your status to indicate you’re “busy” while at work.
Keep Some Music Playing
Many food truck owners I’ve spoken with love to keep music playing in their trucks to provide inspiration during a busy shift. For some, listening to music pumps up their adrenaline so they and their teams can work with greater energy. Just make sure everyone on the truck is happy with your selection of music, not all genres of music are pleasant for everyone.
RELATED: The Basics Of Music Licensing For Your Food Truck
The Bottom Line
As a food truck owner, you have a lot on your plate. Staying focused can be tough with a constant stream of employees, customers, suppliers, emails, and phone calls demanding your attention.
Just remember, you and your staff are surrounded by events and people inside and outside the truck that could stifle your momentum. Keep these issues at arms length and stay focused with any of the great tips mentioned in this article.
Do you have any other suggestions for vendors to stay focused during a busy shift? Share them in the comment section, our food truck forum or social media. Facebook | Twitter