There is much that a small business owner is responsible for, a lot of different hats to wear, tasks to do and delegate, and decisions to be made, et cetera. Keeping track of all of these different elements in order to keep the plates spinning can be overwhelming at times. It is really easy for things to begin to slip through the cracks, and this can take its toll on the business. Being organised does not come naturally to everyone; it can be a challenge. However, making the effort to become more organised is well worth it; it helps to ensure that you are operating as efficiently as possible to keep the business on track. While it might seem overwhelming, there are only three areas that you need to work on. Let’s get into it.
Organising Your Schedule
One of the best things that you can do for yourself as the owner of a small business is simply to put more thought into how your time is scheduled and your day is organised. If you do not already schedule your day in its entirety, you really ought to start. Once you have developed your schedule, you should stick to it as much as possible. Obviously, upon occasion, there will be a few things outside of your control that, unfortunately, have the power to derail your day. Break your schedule down, and think about when you want to start work every day and what tasks need doing on what day; how long will they take? This might be a little daunting and make your day feel a little too regimented, which is why you should remember to schedule in a few breaks too. In doing so, you can avoid getting burnt out, and breaks actually help to aid in your productivity.
If you want to vary your schedule a little more, then you can always choose to create a weekly schedule which allows you to mix up the days, allocating different days to different tasks to ensure you don’t get stuck on any one thing. It also makes to build in a little flexibility in case you have appointments that take precedence. You should also try to keep in mind the business’s long-term goals. As your business takes off, you will begin to reach these goals, and, upon doing so, you are likely to find that things change. It could even affect the day-to-day running of the business, and you really need to be prepared for this in order to ensure minimal disruptions.
Finally, while your schedule should do a pretty good job of anticipating the tasks that you need to get done every day, it might also make sense for you to finish each day by writing a to-do list of the things that you absolutely need to get done the following day. This might also help you to wind down and switch off from the work day, knowing that you have scheduled the following day as much as possible and you have also written yourself a reminder for any extracurricular activities that you need to do too. This helps to reinforce a separation between work you and home you. Establishing a healthy work/life balance is key, and organising your schedule well can really help you.
Organising Your Workspace
Most small business owners carry out the majority of their work from an office, whether that is within established work premises or just a home office. Your office is obviously, likely to be where you do most of your work. Therefore, it will make sense that you will need to do your best and make a concerted effort to keep the space as tidy and organised as humanly possible. A well-kept workspace is far easier to work within. Take a look at your workspace or office as it currently exists. Is it tidy and organised? If not, you best get started. Start by clearing out the clutter and getting rid of the things that you do not need or use on a regular basis.
After that, you should then begin to assign a space to all of the things that you want to keep, whether that is in a filing cabinet, your desk draws or wherever; it is important that everything has its space. This will help when you tidy the space because you can return everything to its place. You are likely to need to dedicate at least some space in your office to paperwork. If you do, then you need to have a system. The paperwork needs to be well organised and filed correctly. Old paperwork should b shredded or disposed of as necessary – otherwise, you will be overrun with papers. If possible, you might want to consider going paperless, it saves you space as well as being more eco-conscious.
Organising Your Desktop
The last area which is likely to be instrumental in your daily life as a small business owner is your computer. Your desktop – or laptop, as the case may be – needs to be organised in order to maximise your efficiency. Arguably, the best place to start is with your files and applications. Programmes and files that you need quick access to on a regular basis should be front and centre. Old, unused or outdated files should all be deleted or archived. If you need to store large amounts of files, but haven’t got the space for them, then the best thing to do is to convert them into pdfs and use a pdf compressor like the one provided by Smallpdf. You can also choose to store them on a cloud-based storage system if your physical storage is inadequate.
Most business owners tend to collect contacts throughout the operation of their business either through networking, word of mouth or by necessity. Regardless of whether these contacts are going to be instrumental to your business or not, they are worth keeping, simply because you never know, and building relationships is often vital to the longevity and the future of your business. However, organising these contacts can be tricky. Gone are the days of the Rolodex; instead, you should try to keep your contacts digitally. Think about where you want to store them in your digital address book.
It might make sense to organise your contacts within your primary form of communication. If you prefer to make phone calls, then store the numbers in your work phone, although you should really make sure to back them up just in case the handset is damaged; you don’t want to lose all of the numbers. If you prefer email, then you can input contacts into your email account. Regardless of the form of communication, it also makes sense to check them regularly to ensure that messages are not going unanswered. Remember to delete or archive messages as you see fit.
To Conclude
One thing that most successful entrepreneurs will have in common is that they are organised. Honestly, organisation is arguably one of the best tools that you can have as a small business owner. Obviously, it doesn’t always come; naturally, some people simply struggle, but it is still worth trying. It can help to lower your stress levels and boost your productivity. If you are working towards becoming more of an organised individual, then think about the tips listed above. The three areas detailed are the most important and can really have a transformative effect on the day-to-day running of your business.
