Disorganization is a normal state of order. Organization takes time.
I like making accounting websites for a living. Time spent organizing can feel like it's taking away from your work, but this really isn't true. Organizing allows you to get more done in less time in the long run, and that's good.
Hiring an assistant is, I suppose, the standard solution. If your business is like most, however, hiring someone just to keep you organized is a waste of money. All you need to do is adopt a few simple work habits.
- In order for everything to have a place, everything NEEDS a place. Make sure you have enough shelf and file space for all your stuff. Not having enough storage makes organization impossible, and but buying office furniture doesn't usually make it to the top of the priority list. Take some time to buy the stuff you need, and while you're at it, get a place for temporary storage. Usually people have a tray or a hanger near their front door of their home, which they hang all their things there when entering, so when leaving they know where their belongings are. This can also be done with paperwork. If you're going to have a meeting or important task that day go ahead and pull the stuff you'll need and put it on this desk!
- Get a calendar and use it. I use the Google Calendar Application, but there a a score of online or desktop calendar apps that do the same things. My calendar allows me post schedules and availability online. This comes in really handy. It also reminds me of upcoming events by email and with on-screen pop-ups. This keeps all your scheduling in one place and makes it much easier to keep your tasks straight.
- Using an inbox and emptying it weekly, at least, will never have you lose a piece of paper again. You may need to use multiple inboxes. You might want one for home and one for work, or have separate boxes for sales, product development, and employee issues.
- In order to put everything in it's place, everything has to HAVE a place to be put. Designate a place for everything in your office. You can label those places, so it's easier for you to remember. Whenever you use something, you'll know exactly where they belong because of the labels. You won't need the labels for long. Over time it will all become second nature.
- Organize one aspect of your office at a time. Fix it. Then all you need to do is maintain it as you move on to the next thing.
- Constantly forgetting and resetting passwords and login information can become a vicious time sink. Keep your password and login information in a single text document, a wiki, some other type of system.
- Clean things as you go. Whenever you are done with something, put it away, clean it out, and wash it, whatever it is, put it where you found it, so things don't keep piling up.
There are many ways to get and stay organized. The best trick I've suggested is to put things back where they belong when you use something.
Guest Poster
Brian O'Connell is the owner and founder of CPA Site Solutions, one of the country's leading edge website companies dedicated solely to accounting websites.
