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Blog: Can We Have Some Order Here?
 Make Your Work Day Easier
As a Professional Organizer, I teach my clients how to stay on top of their daily "to-do's." Phone calls, e-mails, paperwork, mass mailings -- how do you keep things from falling between the cracks? Here are ten simple suggestions for keeping routine business affairs from taking any more time out of your day than they need to...
Know Where Your Time Is Best SpentAll business people fall prey to a common yet destructive behavior -- avoiding necessary but unpleasant activities in favor of the fun stuff. You probably stay really busy during the work day, but crossing a lot of "to-do's" off your list doesn't necessarily mean that you are focusing on activities that will sustain your business. Although sending out mass mailings or making marketing calls or entering contact information into a database may not be exciting, these must be considered priorities if you want to stay afloat in your industry, especially during a challenging economy.
The solution to this problem is fairly simple -- segregate and dedicate your schedule. As you plan your week, set aside specific blocks of time for each type of activity (correspondence, marketing, client follow-ups, report-writing, whatever it is that you do in your job). For each task, give yourself enough space to get some real work done, and commit full to that activity for the allotted time period -- you'll feel as though you have accomplished something vital for the health and well-being of your business. Try to start off with an activity you would normally procrastinate on tackling, either because it's challenging or unpleasant -- overcoming a major hurdle first thing in the morning is a great motivator for the rest of the day. Of course, you have to work consciously to keep on track and stay focused on the important stuff (it's easy to become distracted by minutiae like checking email or surfing the internet!) If you have a problem with less-important activities eating up your entire day, set a timer alerting you that you need to move on to the next activity.
However, there is a fine line between "taking care of business" and devoting too much time to maintenance activities. In the words of Barbara Sarah, "We get no extra credit for laboring under a hot summer sun on a job that can be done in the shade." In lay terms, don't overdo tasks that could be much simpler -- you'll wear yourself out and grow to hate admin work. Will sending out a quarterly newsletter achieve the same results as a monthly one? Do you need to record every single contact with a client, or just the pivotal communications? Is it required that you enter every business card you pick up in your database, or only those for the people with whom you have relationships? Quite often, good enough is good enough -- no matter what the sales training courses tell you!
Also recognize that being organized doesn't mean that you are superhuman. You can't always do everything yourself -- no matter how "together" you are! As a business person, you should consider assembling a team of professionals who can help with your routine administrative duties -- an accountant or bookkeeper, a database manager, even a contract administrative assistant, whatever you need to get the job done. You got into business to serve your clients -- not to send out letters or enter phone numbers into your computer. Think about all those administrative duties that you don't enjoy or have no talent for or that take you away from your clients. Is it the best use of your time for you to handle these jobs? Can you outsource some of this work? Can you get someone else to take over these responsibilities?
Technology To The Rescue
As a business person, you have two choices -- join the 21st century or get left behind! You can't even begin to claim that you are working efficiently if you're not making use of the technological advances available to you. Of course that doesn't mean that you have to walk around with one of those Bluetooth cyborg-looking contraptions sticking out of your ear! But databases, spreadsheets, word processing programs, e-mail, and desktop publishing can make business administration less time-consuming and much, much easier. How do you know if you need a technological solution to a problem? Ask yourself if you are spending a lot of time engaged in manually completing routine business activities that could be automated in some way. If the answer is yes, start asking around and figure out how to give that task to a machine!
For example, if you collect dozens of business cards a week at networking functions and have to type every one of them into your contact manager, perhaps it's time to invest in a card-scanner. When you find yourself manually sending your newsletter to each subscriber individually, you might benefit from a mass-mailing program. Or, if you're hand-writing every thank-you and follow-up note (and are consequently months behind because you can't catch up), think about a web-based card-sending service (these days, you can even set up a font based on your own handwriting!) The efficient business person is always looking for an easier way -- and many times, that means trying a new technology.
However, we strive for moderation in all things -- you should be in charge of how you use your technological tools, not the other way around! If your technology causes you stress, you might want to rethink your business strategy. You don't have to check your e-mail 15 times in an hour, you shouldn't be reachable 24 hours a day, and you can let your calls go to voice mail without burning in hell. When technology turns from a friend to a foe, find some new friends!
posted on: 4/22/2010 11:30:00 AM by Ramona Creel
category: General Organizing Tips
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Can We Have Some Order Here?
by Ramona Creel
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About Ramona:
I have been a Professional Organizer for more than 10 years, I am a NAPO Golden Circle member, and I was the original founder of OnlineOrganizing. I have worked one-on-one with scores of clients and have trained dozens of newbie organizers as they got started in the industry. I provide both hands-on and virtual coaching to help clients improve their organizing skills and simplify their lives. I invite you to visit my website at http://www.RamonaCreel.com, and I challenge you to find one new idea that you can put into practice in your life, to help you become better organized, starting TODAY! I am passionate about coaching folks toward a more balanced, productive, and enjoyable life -- and I firmly believe that if I can do it, so can you!
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