Running a business can sometimes feel like a 24/7 job. #entrepreneurlife, right? Not only are you putting in 60, 80, or 90-hour work weeks, but the work doesn’t stop when you get home. Whether answering emails, balancing your books or sending out online orders, the behind-the-scenes tasks of a business owner can be daunting and overwhelming. One of the best things you can do for yourself while running a business is stay organized (and sane) – easier said than done right?
Lucky for you, we’ve put together 6 easy tips to keep yourself and your business organized.
Create an office space
Whether it’s at home or at work, create a dedicated office space that works for you. Put the effort into creating a space that is inviting and comforting for you to work in. If you have a messy, random table in the living room you work from – you can assume your business is going to be the same. Create a space that has everything you need to get your work done. Not only will you look forward to working in a warm space but your productivity levels will show as well.
Review your goals often
We often get wrapped up in the now, and work hard just to get through the day. Try and schedule some time to review the goals you’ve set for yourself and your business. Whether its daily, weekly or monthly – visually keep your goals close by so they are a constant reminder of what you need to get done to accomplish them. It’s easy to lose focus on the big picture so having regular check-ins will keep you on track to getting where you want to be.
Keep your inbox tidy
Are you one of those people who has thousands of emails in their inbox with another thousand of them unread? If so, that habit has GOT to go. Your email is an important part of your business. You manage clients, partners, suppliers and other inquiries all within your inbox and its important to keep it organized to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. Email has come a long way so utilize available tools to create simplicity and functionality in your inbox. Create folders for high priority items, have rules for specific people, colour code lists and tasks – make your inbox as organized as possible and it won’t feel so daunting to ‘check your email’. Keep everything where it should be and you’ll look forward to banging out a few emails every day.
Delegate the tasks you really hate
As a business owner, we often feel like we need to manage every task and take the responsibility for everything when it comes to running the business. While that’s great and kudos to you for hustling – it’s not necessary. If there are certain administrative tasks you don’t have to be involved in, delegate those tasks to someone on your team who has the time to manage them. It will take a huge weight off your shoulders, leaving you less stressed and with more time to focus on business critical tasks – or maybe even mix in a (gasp!) well-deserved break now and then.
Utilize free tools that will save you time
The internet is overflowing with free tools for businesses to use to help them manage their day to day. Whether it’s a free content planner, scheduling app or invoice tracker – use the tools accessible to you and let them do the work for you. Gone are the days of doing things “the manual way” – now there’s a new way, so jump on board and get to know different tools that work for your business. Simply searching online for your ‘problem’ or task you need help with will return tons of information on different tools to help you get sh*t done efficiently.
Develop a routine
It’s one thing to enforce all these tips to create a more organized space, but if you don’t make it part of your daily routine – chances are things will quickly fall back into your normal, scattered routine. Prioritize your time by ensuring you incorporate these tips and other organization methods to make your day run more smoothly. The more you make these tips part of your every day, the more they will come naturally to you. Soon it won’t feel like ‘work’ to get things done because your spaces are organized externally and internally and you’ll look forward to crossing things off your to do list.
Running a business is no joke and comes with an endless list of tasks to get accomplished – by yesterday. We get it! So the best thing you can do for yourself is to develop some healthy habits and organize your spaces whether it be your office or your inbox to create less stress and more success. You can’t control everything that goes on in a day in the life of a business owner, but you can control how you manage it. Keep these tips in mind while working through your day and you’ll be thanking yourself you started when you did. You’ll look forward to the things you usually dread doing. One tip at a time!
Need help organizing (and staying sane)? We’d be happy to help come up with a strategy that works for your business. Send us a DM or email us at hello@mintandpoppy.com.
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