When thinking of the successful entrepreneur or investor, you may think of communication skills, salesmanship, technical ability, ambition, or creativity before you think of a skill that sounds as mundane as organization. However, if you lack organization skills as your foundation, you set yourself up for failure.
This skill holds it all together.
Now, don't hear us say to make overnight organization your New Year's resolution, especially if that's not already a strength. But, here are some actionable techniques to get you started.
9 Genius Organization Tips for Budding Entrepreneurs & Business Owners
Tip #1: Tidy Your Environment
Your physical environment influences your state of mind. Make it a point to tidy your workspace at least once a week – ideally at the end of the week so that you start the next week fresh and in order. Stacks of papers, food wrappers, empty water bottles, and any other clutter? Take care of it. Throw out your trash and put those haphazard documents back in their place. It will help you maintain focus and find what you need without having to hunt.
Tip #2: Shuffle Your Digital Life
Your digital life also needs decluttering – even if your computer isn’t out of gigabytes just yet. Reorganize your folders and sub-folders, ensure that documents are titled clearly so that you don’t have to open them to see what they are, and cull unnecessary data. Important but outdated data can be transferred to an external hard drive for safekeeping. Then delete it from your computer so that it doesn’t get in the way.
Tip #3: Separate Paper Documents
It is extraordinarily easy to lose track of paper documents, even if you have a filing cabinet. When you have a pile of papers, separate documents into essential, important papers and less critical ones. Anything that has no practical or legal use can probably be tossed without worry. Once you separate your documents, file them according to subject and importance. This way, you’ll quickly be able to find key tax documents, business agreements, and reports without sifting through page after page of irrelevant information.
Tip #4: Organize Your Priorities
Once you know what you need to get done, organize your priorities. They say if a task takes less than two minutes, just do it. Checking it off means you can focus on other things. Prioritize everything by urgency and importance – things that must be done before projects can move forward, tasks to stay on track to meet deadlines, etc. Get the “musts” done before you move on to the “wants.”
Tip #5: Put it All on the Schedule
It may seem tedious to schedule every little thing, but it’s good to do. The day before, write down your tasks and engagements along with the time they’re expected to take. This will help keep you accountable to time management while also preventing anything from falling through the cracks.
Tip #6: Develop Workflows-4.gif?width=300&name=giphy%20(1)-4.gif)
In simple terms, a workflow is a sequence of actions that gets you from point A to B. Whether you realize it or not, you have workflows for nearly everything you do—personally and professionally. Don’t try keeping them all in your head, especially the more important or time-sensitive they are. Write down your process and how things are supposed to go. Turn these into official systems for your whole team so that there is clarity and consistency. It’s all well and good to have a system in your mind that works for you, but it’s even better to turn that system into the standard.
Tip #7: Utilize Templates
Work smarter, not harder. Utilize automation and templates as much as possible so that you don’t waste time building everything from scratch. You will want to check any automated work, but you don’t have to do it all manually. This frees up room in your head and your schedule to work on what matters.
Tip #8: Keep Track of Your Team
We’re not talking about micro-managing. Keeping track of your team means that you regularly check in, foster collaborative opportunities, and convene together so that everyone is on the same page. Being organized as an entrepreneur and business owner also means organizing people.
Tip #9: Prepare to Take Notes
Entrepreneurs never know when inspiration will strike. Be prepared to take notes, write down ideas, and jot down reminders. There are plenty of apps that will help you do this, like the popular Evernote app. Smartphones also come with default note-taking apps. If you’re a more tactile entrepreneur, carry an old-fashioned notebook (with pens!). Avoid reaching for scraps of paper and post-its. These are easily lost and more difficult to organize.
