Hi Nicole:
If you are asking how to reduce process time in the darkroom - especially when producing proof prints, there are a few process tricks I have used. These will produce prints that will inform you about your negative but are generally not acceptable as final product. You may already be employing them but I offer them as general ideas:
Write down a standard height, contrast and exposure setting for each print size, format based on a "normal density" negative. (For these prints, I would avoid f5.6. f8 to 11 should yield good results for the smaller prints you are talking about.) Set this on your enlarger and focus on first negative only.
If available, use a top quality roll film advancing negative holder. Be sure the device protects your negatives as they advance. Beseler made a great one for 35mm at one time.
Batch expose your negatives full frame. I have a light-tight drawer next to my enlarger where I store exposed prints until I have a batch of 8 (normally 11 X 14). With smaller prints, I will go up to 12 prints.
Batch develop. Book your exposed but undeveloped prints back to back, fan each pair in your left hand so you can pull each booked pair and feed them into the developer at 5 second intervals. Count off as you do this, 1, 2, 3, ... then shuffle through the stack in the enlarger tray pulling each pair from the bottom keeping the count of where your are.
You may need to adjust your developer dilution to one that supports batch development. Depending on how many prints you are trying to handle, shorter isn't always better. If you are running out of time, try a more dilute solution to better fit the development time to your process. You should be able to shuffle through the stack at least twice before the first pair need to come out.
Pull pair # 1 at proper time and drop into tray of stop. Be careful not to dip your fingers into stop and then back to developer tray. Unbook the prints in stop bath to ensure all developer has been neutralized. if your Stop bath is fresh, 10 seconds (enough so the print no longer feels slippery) is enough then into the fixer.
For proof prints - white lights can come on 10 to 15 seconds after the prints hit the fixer. (In fact prints will suffer little damage from white light after the developer is neutralized by the stop bath but I don't recommend that.) Just to be clear, if I am processing prints for inventory or display, I keep the white lights off until 1 minute in the fixer. For proof prints and test strips, I cut this back to 10 to 15 seconds.
Inspect the proofs and, if desired, reprint only those where departure from normal is too severe.
If these prints are to be used as larger alternatives to contact proofs, consider printing them at a grade 0 or 1 contrast so you can see all of the detail the negative has to offer. These will appear muddy and not very impressive but will reveal potential not seen in a "perfect proof." It takes some getting used to to look at these prints but after doing this for a while, you will appreciate knowing where interesting detail is available.
If cropping is required, consider cropping with a temporary paper mat. I save ruined sheets of paper for this very purpose. When I forget to reset the f-stop after focusing and accidently nuke a sheet

, I toss it directly in the fixer so I have a glossy sheet I can use as a temporary composition mat. You can also use L-shaped cropping guides. (Yes, I realize I am probably the only photographer on Apug who forgets to reset the enlarger f-stop or, for that matter, who creates a negative that needs cropping.

)
It is a good thing when you have reached the point where time in the darkroom is redefined as productive time in the darkroom!
Good Luck!
Bruce