There are two types of people in the world.  First, there are those who have been organized since the day they were born…then there are those who have not.  Are you part of the second group of people?  It’s okay!  You can still keep your small business organized. 

The advantages are great.  An organized business person is able to get more work done in less amount of time.  They remember important events and meetings.  They feel less stressed and out of control.  This article will give you some realistic techniques to stay organized even if you feel you are a hopeless cause:

Don’t Let The Sun Set on a Mess

Never leave your workspace at night until you have taken a few minutes to clean up your desk.  Put office supplies such as stapler and pens in a central location so you are ready to go in the morning.  Check the trash can and empty it if necessary, and remove any empty cups or other dishes that are cluttering your desk. 

Most important, quickly go through the papers cluttering up the desk and stack them somewhat in the order they need to be tackled in the morning.  This is also the perfect opportunity to jot down a to-do list for tomorrow, and rank each item as to importance. 

By taking 5-10 minutes to complete these simple tasks each evening, you will find renewed motivation in the morning to tackle the day ahead. 

Organize Work Product Using the Rule of 3

There will always be those people who know right where everything they need is at any time.  Then, there are the rest of us.  I have found the best way to organize my working papers so that I can actually find something when I need it is to use the rule of 3. 

The idea is simple.  Never have more than 3 stacks going at a time.  The first stack is your most pressing business that you hope to get through during the day.  Stack number 2 will hold those items you want to get to this week, and the final stack will be those less critical things you can 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. 

Just Do It

The bottom line is that you are losing opportunities for your small business every day that you wait to find an organization system you can work with.  When you are organized, a bigger part of your day can be spent on the success of your business.  And keep in mind, what works for one person is a disaster for another.  So find the system that works for you and make sure you can commit to using it every day.     

Get more small business success strategies and claim your free white paper: “7 Ways Your Stone-Age Accounting System is Stealing Money From You Every Day … And, How to Get it Back This Year”  to learn about an online accounting program that makes it simple to organize your accounting and finance.

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