Organized Office or Clutterd Mess?
The way you set up your business in the beginning makes all the
difference between having and organized office or a cluttered mess.
Easy clutter is when papers and "stuff" pile up easily. This happens
when you don't set up your office right in the beginning. Start by
setting up a place for everything you know where to put. Then make
sure to leave spaces for the unknown things that may pop up.
If you fill every nook and cranny of your office in the beginning,
you won't have room for things that come up later. So go over areas
of your office as you place your furniture. Make sure if you're right
handed you leave room on the right side of the desk for you to write
and be able to lay out papers and such. If you're left handed do
the same on the left side.
~Have a tiered file
holder for immediate needs and things you're working on. Make sure
to label them well so they're easy to grab.
~Keep your planner
on the desk to write down messages and conversation details you
need to keep track of. Set up a schedule that includes putting
your planner on your desk at the beginning of each day.
~For jotting down
quick notes, keep a lined note pad next to the phone and do your
best to transfer that information into your planner as soon as
possible.
~Neatly plan your
closet or cabinet space with your extra files, software, records,
etc...
~Have an office
supplies cabinet or drawer so that you only have to go to one
place when you need to refill something.
If you are already in the midst of clutter and a disorganized office,
think of starting new. Set aside one or two days during your least
busy time to dig in and redo your office. If you haven't touched
something for one year or more, and you don't have a place to file
it, or pack it away, dump it. There are some things you don't necessarily
need for a long time but need to keep on file for record keeping
or in our case to keep record of past sale flyers, catalogs, etc...
Make up a file-box for those. Keep it handy, inside the closet, out
of site.
If you're in a business that requires you to have inventory of any
kind that's a whole other issue. The clutter can really be hard to
keep up on if you don't have a good system. Watch for my upcoming
article on purging and keeping your shipping and inventory area de-cluttered.
©2003 Susie Glennan
Susie Glennan has been happily married since 1982, is mom to 3 teenagers,
and is a Home Maker, Nurturer, Teacher, Author, Professional Speaker,
Toastmaster, President of The Busy Woman, Inc., DBA - The Busy Woman's Daily
Planner®. She teaches time management seminars, offers FREE consultations
with your order, and will help you set up a schedule that's right for you.
800-848-7715 www.thebusywoman.com
|
