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Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Here are ten tips on how to better organize your home
business. Getting and staying organized is the key to success and a home business
is totally dependent on you and your ability to keep it all
organized.
If you take hours trying to find that bill, or that interesting article, or
that customer enquiry you were supposed to reply to a week ago, then you are
wasting both time and money. In any small business, your margins are tight, and
every minute you spend in unproductive activities eats away at your profits.
In today's cut throat business environment, you have to be lean and mean. Get
systems in place which help you cut time from all your core activities. Make
sure that every precious minute is spent adding value to either your customer's
experience or your bottom line.
Getting and staying organized allows you to reduce the time you spend on
administrative tasks and increases the time you have for direct customer-related
tasks. So check out these ten vital tips and get started today. You don't have a
minute to lose.
1. Create the perfect filing system
If you don't already have a good system, build one right now. You must be
able to lay your hands on just the right piece of paper in less than 1 minute -
every time. You can learn more about filing rules by visiting the authors web
site.
2. Clear the clutter
Your desk top should be clean at the end of every day. If you aren't going to
work on a specific document today, then it should not be on your desk. Take a
couple of hours to go through your desk right now, and if you don't need it,
haven't used it recently, can't remember what it's for or don't want it - then
get rid of it now!
3. Group like activities
Make all your calls once a day. Check your emails twice a day. Reply straight
away if you can. Do all your customer follow-ups together. Save activities till
there are a few of them you can work on at the same time. Studies show this can
save you up to 75% of time.
4. Use a messaging service
If you get interrupted often by pesky phone calls, use a message service and
return the calls when it suits you. The same applies to when you need a block of
time to concentrate on a project or activity. Don't allow the phone to master
you.
5. Never open junk mail
It may be tempting, but it wastes enormous amounts of time. If your email
software filters out your junk mail, all the better. If you do it manually, then
just hit delete - never be tempted into opening it. There are better ways to use
your time.
6. Always use a to-do list
It the end of every day, take five minutes to plan the next day's activities
and write them in priority order on your to-do list. Make sure you allocate
reasonable amounts of time to each item. Group like items together. Do the hard
stuff first. If there is anything left undone at the end of your day, ask
whether it still needs to be completed. If yes,then put it at the top of the
next day's list.
7. Always use just one diary
To schedule appointments, make sure you use only one diary - either
electronic or hard copy. Never rely on your memory to make appointments. If you
don't have your diary with you, call them back when you do. If you use an
electronic diary, make sure it synchronises with your PC and always transfer the
data daily.
8. Confirm appointments
Always confirm your appointments before you head out. A quick phone call
displays courtesy and care and earns many brownie points. More importantly it
ensures the other party has remembered the appointment and is still
available.
9. Take breaks
No one is a robot. You must take breaks to ensure you function at peak
condition at all times. It may seem efficient to just keep going, but your
efficiency drops significantly when you are tired or stressed. It is better to
do a task once properly, then having to redo it to fix the mistakes and
oversights you made because of fatigue.
10. Reward yourself
You may wander how this makes you organized. The simple answer is that
rewarding yourself (and your staff) ensures that success breeds success. By
reinforcing the good behaviours, you ensure they are repeated. So give yourself
a verbal pat on the back, take an early lunch and buy a box of chocolates. It
doesn't take much, but it is important.
I hope you make some time in your day to try out a couple of these tips.
Remember, each one will take you that small step closer to being better
organized. All of them together will ensure one giant leap. Don't just sit here
reading - get out there and do it!
Jo Gibney is seminar leader, group
facilitator, professional speaker, writer and HR Consultant. Her commitment to
adult learning is a life long passion, and much of Jo’s work focuses on
developing not just work skills but also personal competencies and strengths.
Check out Jo's websites at http://www.organisenow.com and http://www.dragonslayers.com.au
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jo_Gibney
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