My Organized Biz

I shall be running a series here on organization in business and asking other busy businessmen and women how they manage to juggle all facets of their life and keep their businesses running effectively, productively and profitably. 
 I’ve sent e-mails to some already, asking them to give me 5 Tips on Organization they find effective in their business.
If there are any readers out there, who have a business…small, home or even working for a business…write and let me know you have some tips.  Or you might post those tips in the comments section below.

1 Comment

Does your to-do list overwhelm you? Is it so large or intimidating that you don’t know where to start? Stop and think about it for a minute. Maybe your to-do list isn’t what it should be. Although I strongly feel that there’s no single right way to do things, maybe you do need to think about purpose a to-do list really serves.
For instance, I still need to do my taxes. Normally I have them done by February, but I still have some sorting and data entry to do. It’s been harder to fit it in than I thought it would …read more

No Comments

If you think my obsession with notebooks is excessive, I’m actually not alone. Designer Michael Bierut talks about how he has used notebooks over the past 26 years. Like him, I carried my notebook to every meeting, noted every call and scribbled ideas and to do lists.
Unlike him, I haven’t filled 85 notebooks in 26 years. But it’s fascinating to see some of the scans of his books and hear about his process. I, too, just fill up one notebook and move to the next. I don’t separate projects, but I do use flags at times so I can flip …read more

No Comments

So many of us suffer from the clutter affliction. We have too much paper, too many gadgets, and basically just too much stuff crammed into our offices. What are we to do?
Some people live with the clutter, never quite able to find what they need. Others upgrade their space, thinking that just a little more room will help. And many of us buy more containers to better organize all that stuff.
It’s all too much! That’s precisely the point of Walsh’s book. We have too much stuff. We don’t need all of it. We’re too attached to things.
While the book is …read more

No Comments

As I work on some new information to pass along to you, I thought it’d be great to have an open discussion.
Tell me, what are you working on right now to get yourself organized? What are your trouble areas? And what do you think you are doing well?
I’m struggling with time management and trying to get everything done that I think needs doing. That can be tough when you have a small child around. So I’m working on prioritizing and learning what little things are okay to let go of – so I can work on bigger things.
Your turn – …read more

5 Comments

Efficiency is a must in any small business office. Limited space, time and resources demand that you operate at full capacity. And when you let things slide, it can be a nightmare to get back in order. So how do you keep on top of everything you need to do? Get in the zone by creating specific work areas in your office.
Think about the tasks you need to do regularly. What could benefit from having a designated zone? Start by making a list of all the tasks you need to do in your office. Divide them up into groups. There …read more

3 Comments

It’s still early enough in the year to be thinking of ways you can be organized for the next 11-12 months. And one great way to do that is getting your computer files in order. As we get busy, it’s easy to just save a file, a receipt, an invoice in whatever folder pops up when you hit save. But is it really convenient when you have to dig for that file later?
Take some time to think about how you use your computer. What items do you save on it? How often do you need to refer back to it? …read more

2 Comments

We’re a week into the new year already. Did you take some time to plan the next year?
Of course, I’m not talking about planning out your daily schedule for the next year, or even your weekly schedule. Think bigger picture. Where do you want to be a year from now? What do you want to accomplish?
I don’t really plan out “resolutions” starting in January. Resolutions are usually sound bites that just set you up to fail. But they don’t have to be, if you use them as a starting point.
Now is a perfect time to dream a little. Or a …read more

1 Comment

The new year is rapidly approaching. Are you ready yet? Don’t panic. You still have time to plan your business goals for 2009. And planning doesn’t stop with the new year, either. Setting goals should continue throughout the year – as should evaluating your progress.
Did you accomplish what you wanted in 2008? Did you meet sales goals, get new customers and increase your income? If yes, congratulations! Plan to build on that progress next year. If no, it’s time to take a look at what didn’t work and find new ways to do things in the coming year.
Take some time …read more

3 Comments

Here’s where I need to take my own advice on things. As I’ve mentioned before, sharpening your saw is an important part of being organized. If you don’t rest and renew, you won’t be very effective.
I’ve been trying to get my schedule under control so I’m not working too many hours (which I am right now) late into the night. Maybe that’s part of being a mom. Or an entrepreneur. Or both.
But burning the candle at both ends isn’t going to make me perform at my best. So it’s time to revamp the schedule and get out of this late-night …read more

3 Comments