As a virtual assistant, I LOVE to ORGANIZE! Within a business, there are all kinds of things to organize like passwords, client notes, accounting procedures, social media posts, general paperwork, etc., etc.
The list of things that need to be organized in a business can be OVERWHELMING but organization can directly influence your productivity so it is important! Follow these tips and you will be on your way to a more productive day.
- Make sure that your office space is in order. If your desk is in chaos, it will take you twice as long to get things done. Take a look at your workspace and make sure that you have everything necessary to do your job. Also, remove any items from your desk area that may distract you from your work.
- Make a To-Do List for each day and actually follow it! Paper works great for some people but electronic forms of to-do lists work better for others. Pick your favorite method or you will never stick to it. Put this list in a prominent place so you can’t ignore it and check the items off as you go. You will definitely feel accomplished at the end of the day when you see how much you have done! (These to-do lists can even be organized into your Google or Outlook calendars to make it even easier.)
- Keep only one calendar! Many entrepreneurs keep a personal calendar and a business calendar. You may even keep a family calendar. Integrating these calendars into one calendar makes it easy for you to see what is going on in your life and business at the same time. Otherwise, you will be flipping back and forth between several calendars and this will definitely eat up time in your day. Integrating several calendars together can be done easily using a Google or Outlook calendar system.
- Try a few programs and stick to the ones that you love! There are all kinds of business software and apps out there trying to get your attention. They all claim to be the best project management, CRM, cloud accounting system, and more. But the only good ones, are the ones that you will actually use on a regular basis. Most software and apps have trial versions so feel free to try a new one out every now and then but don’t become an app collector! Only keep programs or apps on your computer and phone that you are actually going to use. Tons of programs on your screen that you don’t use will only be a distraction.
- Remember, delegation can be your friend! As entrepreneurs, most of us try to do everything ourselves from creating a website to accounting and everything in between. If you constantly find that there is not enough time in your day to take care of everything needed to operate your business efficiently, it may be time to look for some help. This may mean hiring another employee or a virtual assistant.
However, you decide to organize your business, remember that there is not a single solution that works for every business. Feel free to experiment with new processes but only stick with the ones that work the best for you!