Would you like to refer to your small business as organized? Start by getting organized. That means more than just tidying up your home office. In order to become more productive and profitable, you must create systems and procedures for all different parts of your business.
ORGANIZATION
Organizing your small business may be about more than neatening stacks of paper -- taking control of the flow of papers and documents is of major importance. Once you have reviewed or acted on a document, you should have a keep pile and a discard pile. Everything in the second pile should be shredded or recycled. As for the first pile, it is time to create an office filing system. If you already have one, think of ways to improve it. Investigate paperless options, such as scanning and digitizing receipts, using online invoicing and payment services, moving to a digital signature program or using the Cloud for data backup and archiving.
PRODUCTIVITY
What apps or tools do you use to maximize your productivity? Technology never slows down so it would behoove you to take stock of these apps and tools once a year. If they no longer meet your needs, it is time to update them. Here are some categories by which you can organize your productivity tools:
- Communication – Start with your contacts. Keep track of your customers and people you meet while networking. You may use a customer relationship management (CRM) system or simply rely on your existing Contacts app. There are even systems to help organize your meetings, whether they are face-to-face, on the phone or via video chat services.
- Accounting – Your profits depend on the way you invoice, take payments and manage cashflow. Look into tools such as Quickbooks Online, Xero and Wave.
- Travel – Travel for business is an expense. Apps like Expedia and TripAdvisor make travel plans easier. Track your spending on the road and report when you get home.
- Social Media & E-mail – Managing your social media is part of doing business. Wasting time, however, will result from the lack of a systematic and organized approach. Most e-mail apps, like Gmail or Outlook, come equipped with built-in systems for organizing your inbox.
- Project Management - Projects arise daily. You will often have to involve others. This leads to tracking tasks, sharing files and collaborating with teammates. A good project management app helps you to do it all in one place and keep your work organized.
COMPUTER
Computers accumulate clutter. If you do the bulk of your work on the computer, all productivity will go down the drain. Your computer’s performance will be negatively impacted. Get your computer organized and back into working shape using one or more of the following:
- Clean up your desktop – The only feature you need on your desktop is the trash bin. All other icons are shortcuts to your applications. Add those you will need frequent, easy access to. Leave the rest in the Applications folder, where they belong.
- Set up a filing system – It is easy enough to accumulate physical files, only to lose track of important information. It is nearly impossible to navigate a computer unless it has a filing system that makes sense.
- Update software – Check for updates bimonthly, unless your computer is set to automatically install applications and operating system updates. Once a year, review the current versions and decide if you need to upgrade.
- Scan for viruses – Keep your computer healthy. Scan for viruses and malware. These PC maintenance tips should help your computer run smoothly.
- Back up your data – Stop what you are doing and back up your data. Use a Cloud-based data backup service or an external hard drive. Either can be configured to conduct automatic backups. Check your backup service once or twice a year to make sure everything is there and accessible.
The Law Office of H. Benjamin Sharlin LLC
is owned and operated by H. Benjamin Sharlin and serves all of Mercer County, New Jersey and the surrounding areas. Mr. Sharlin is a bilingual Spanish-speaking attorney who vigorously represents the interests of all his clients.
Call (609) 585-0606 or click the button below to schedule an appointment