We could all use a little extra organisation in our life. It doesn’t take long for things to build up and get on top of us. To-do lists grow out of control, and never get done. The office slowly becomes a mess, and let’s not even talk about the last time you looked at the accounts! Running a business is hard enough as it is, without worrying about organisation. However, it’s worth taking a few steps in the right direction. Today, we’ve pulled together some of our best secrets and tricks to help you on the path to inbox-zero!
Start with your office and premises
It’s hard to clear your mind when the office is a sprawling mess. The biggest reason for an untidy office is a lack of clear order and structure. If you work from an office, make sure everything has a clear place and sense of order. Every item, from the staplers to the classified data, needs a distinctive home. If you use a workshop, ensure that you use racking to keep everything in the right place. Purge your workspace of anything unnecessary.
Go electronic
Nothing contributes to clutter and disorganisation like reams of paper. When invoices, receipts, bills, contracts, and press releases start building up, it’s hard to get rid of them. More importantly, it’s hard to find anything! Try and cut paper out of your life completely. We did, and we’ve never looked back. Revert to online receipts and digital contracts. Keep all paperwork filed online, rather than in the office. It’s a big change, but you adapt faster than you’d think.
Cloud storage
Technology has been a godsend for office organisation. Our particular favourite initiative is cloud storage solutions. By hosting all your data and files online, it reduces the need for hard-copies. But most importantly, it lets every employee get instant and easy access to documents. They no longer need to cross the office or hunt down the stakeholder for information. Take your business online, and it’s all right there, at the click of a button.
Sort out your email inbox
Nothing drains our energy and productivity like checking our emails. Especially when the inbox is full of newsletters, spam, and endless unproductive threads. Try a new approach to your inbox, and only check it at two or three intervals per day. Purge your inbox of any subscriptions you no longer need, and keep it to essential correspondence only.
Find a better to-do list app
There are hundreds of great productivity apps out there to help organise your day. The most popular, and arguably the best, is Evernote. It’s a complete, comprehensive productivity app. It lets you take notes, arrange your calendar, and prioritise your to-do list. For a smaller, simpler solution, try the minimal Clear app.
Taking control of your business organisation will help your work-day flow better. You’ll get more done and boost your productivity. Everyone around you will benefit, and workplace morale will improve. What more could you ask for? So, which of these tricks would you implement first?
