The world consists of two types. Those who are genetically organized, and those who are not. Do you fall in the second group? Fear not! There is still hope for you to keep your small business organized.
There are a lot of great reasons to stay organized. A person who is organized can complete their work much more efficiently. The remember key meetings and events more often. They feel less stressed and out of control. So here are some practical tips for those of us who don’t have the organizational gene built in:
Don’t Turn Your Back on a Mess at Night
Make the last task before heading out for the evening a quick few minutes to straighten your workspace. Gather your office supplies up and place them together on your desktop so they are ready to go when you return. Throw out the trash and get rid of any used cups or other things that don’t belong.
The most critical part of this step is to gather your paperwork into a rough order of how you want to handle it the next day. While you’re at it, start a to-do list for the next day, and label each item “A” “B” or “C” depending on how important it is to complete.
You will find that this simple 10 minute process each evening will fire you up to jump in feet first the next day to complete what needs to be done.
Organize Work Product Using the Rule of 3
There are those people with organization stamped on their forehead who never waste time looking for what they need to complete a task. Then, there are the rest of us. One trick I have found helpful in organizing work papers so I can actually find them is to group them according to the rule of 3.
The idea is not tricky. Never have more than three piles of paperwork going at any given time. The first stack is your most pressing business that you hope to get through during the day. Next, are those items to accomplish sometime during the week, and the final stack contains those less pressing items to get to within the month. This can be a painful upfront process, but by taking the time to create these three stacks, you will save time in the long run from digging through piles when you are in a hurry and need some critical paper fast.
Don’t Wait
Ultimately, the longer you wait to find an organization system that works for you and your small business, the more opportunities you miss for your small business. When you are organized, a bigger part of your day can be spent on the success of your business. And remember, one person’s organization is another person’s nightmare. So find the system that works for you and make sure you can commit to using it every day.
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