If you’re a business owner you have to be on top of things and handle your business. Doing so means being organized and having systems set up within your business that support you. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
- You waste time looking for things because your paperwork isn’t organized
- Your tax returns aren’t filed on time because you can’t find all of your receipts
- You incur late fees due to bills not being paid on time
- You miss connecting or following up with prospective and current clients
- At times you feel overwhelmed
- You’re working plenty of hours but nothing’s getting done
Unfortunately, these things happen quite often and are a way of life for a lot of women in business. It’s easy to get caught up and lost in wearing multiple hats and as a result, have your business suffer. Because you wear multiple hats and because life moves at the speed of sound, you have to create systems that support you in running your business.
First things first, tame that paper tiger! Paper is the number one culprit when it comes to a disorganized office and it’s the first things that you need to get under control. Set up a solid filing system so that every piece of paper has a home. Your paper filing system should have three categories: reference, action and archive. Determine which files fit each category and set up your system accordingly. If your paper has a home, you’ll spend a lot less time looking for it and more time getting things done. Chances are that if your paper files aren’t orderly, your computer files aren’t either. Your electronic filing system should look just like your paper system. One other key thing to do is to name your documents so that you know what they are just by looking at the name instead of having to open them to see what they are. Set regular times to purge and archive your paper and computer files so that your cabinets and your hard drive don’t get cluttered. Usually once a year works very well. Don’t forget to purge your archives as well. Purging and archiving are part of your filing system, so don’t neglect to do it!
My next post will continue and give you the next key system for business success.