You can be more productive when you are organized. There are 5 things I try to stay on top of, or the office get missed and I can’t find anything!
1. Measure Your Productivity- Do you have a weekly to-do list? How many items do you carry over from one week to the next? Start counting how many, and what type of tasks you are not completing. Organizing your to-do items in this way helps determine what items should be delegated. For example, if you list “schedule 5 posts to my Facebook business page” but fail to do it each week, it may be time to outsource.
2. Electronic File Organizing- Set your folders up in a logical flow you won’t forget. For example, my client folders are laid out as such: Client Name, Project Name, Year of Project, then additional folders relevant to that particular job. There, there is no right way but you need to be consistent. I can find what I need in seconds when I adhere to these rules.
3. Paper Organization- If you create binders, be sure your subject tabs match your electronic files. You will save yourself time looking for those important contacts and documents. Also, creating a folder for each month to drop any paper receipts makes it easy when you reconcile expenses each month. I keep a cigar box on my file cabinet to drop loose receipts until I’m ready to place them in their month folder. This way receipts don’t get lost in my purse.
4. Organize Phone Apps- Do you have a hard time finding your banking icon? I’ve found creating separate folders for similar apps such as finance, social, and music make a quick job of checking your bank balance or getting to your favorite playlist.
5. Save Notebooks for Reference- Do you keep your notebooks? When I get a new one, I write the date on the front. Then on each new page, I put the date and subject before I begin writing. When the notebook is filled, write the final date on the front and if you ever need to go back, research is easier. This has been a lifesaver for me.
I hope my tips will help you. What are your organization hacks?