Okay, do not worry; It happens to all of us. When running a business, one of the biggest pitfalls he’ll face is office clutter and disorganization. He is so busy with his business that he ignores the need to keep his office organized and clutter free.
Then, when the realization hits you, the task can seem overwhelming and time consuming; that resistance is established. And the very things you need to do to simplify your life and make it easier to run your business take a backseat…once again!
Organization is one of the first things a business owner should do. And yet, it is often one of the “last” things they do; and then it is usually out of necessity and frustration.
So, to help you save your sanity and bring order to chaos, here are some easy-to-implement ideas to help you organize your office and control clutter… aka your office!
1. First, tidy up your desk.
Make separate stacks of related items and papers: i.e. receipts, reports, letters, etc. You may want to purchase some of those little ‘wire or plastic baskets’ to hold your batteries at your local office supply store, Target, or Walmart.
Otherwise, the batteries can fall out, or the papers can go flying if they are not loaded, which means that they will soon be a ‘messy’ again.
2. How is your filing system? do you at least have one?
Anything you can present easily and quickly should be presented immediately. Use manila folders, write the ‘general description’ of what is in the folder (ie receipts, bills to be paid, notes, letters, etc.) on the tab and stick instead of posting. You will notice an immediate improvement in the space around you.
3. An alternative to manila folders is to use envelopes or sheet protectors to organize them.
Always label folders so you know what is in them. Once this is done, you can break them down further if you see the need for more categories.
For example, the folder of bills to pay could become utilities, credit cards, services, children’s expenses, etc. folders The categories will become obvious as you work with them.
Be sure to separate your personal documents from business documents. You’ll be glad it’s tax time!
4. Postal mail!
First, throw out the trash! Unless you’re a coupon clipper, or have a real interest in a particular brochure…just throw out the spam when it arrives. Sort your mail while standing near the trash can. Then put the mail you want to view into an ‘inbox’ on your desktop.
Again, use a basket or container of some kind to keep it all together. Then schedule a time to check mail during the day, such as after productive work hours. Make sure to clean it at least once a week.
5. Hire an assistant…or your kids!
This simple organization method will help you contain and maintain clutter, and will also make it easier to delegate these tasks to an assistant. If you don’t have an assistant, consider hiring one even on a part-time basis.
Or hire one of your children or another family member! This is a great way to get an inexpensive service and start teaching them organizational skills. And… you may be able to use them as a tax deduction. (Check with your accountant about this and how to set it up.)
The bottom line is this: the sooner you give up and get your office organized, the better. You’ll feel better, be more efficient, and spend less time locating documents and information when you need them. The longer you wait, the longer it will take to do it.
Walking into a cluttered and cluttered office creates stress because your subconscious mind also reacts to confusion. If you feel like running away when you walk into your office, it’s actually your subconscious mind resisting the chaos… that’s the feeling of stress that flows through your body every time you walk into your office.
Resistance is useless! Bite the bullet and do it, or hire someone to do it for you. You’ll be glad you did. And it will be one more ‘to do’ you can cross off your list!