Time and time again we hear why it’s important to get organised. This is true, being organised really does help, whether you’re a student, individual, manager, CEO or business owner. In my decades of business coaching, I’ve seen some super organised people, and well, others which definitely could improve a little. Whichever category you fall into (or somewhere in the middle) hopefully there are some practical tips here which will help.
Tips to Get Organised Effectively
Get Organised in your Plans & Goals
When it comes to planning, goal setting or simply just knowing what you want to achieve, how and when, then great planning will help you get organised with your goals. Your first step is to carefully consider what you want to achieve and then document the steps and stages that you need to do in order to get that plan in place. Often the best aspect of planning is about writing things down and knowing your action steps. There is more to planning, but that’s a basic start.
Everything has a Place (and Everything in its Place)
This is a phrase which has been around a very long time, but it’s really quite true. Let’s talk about your office; having all the stationery in one cupboard makes it easy to find things. When you have things all over the place, then half the time you probably cannot find things, or buy extra (unnecessarily) because you thought you were out, but you just couldn’t find stock – which is wasted time too. This even goes for something as simple as keys. Do you have only one place that you always hang your keys, or do you just toss them ‘where ever’, and then spend hours trying to find them (unless you’ve got an electronic tag or key finder attached). So, your first step here is to start allocating places to things and there are many organisers/boxes/dividers which help with this.
Declutter
This is another strategy to help keep things organised. If you have less ‘stuff’ around the place, especially things you don’t need and will unlikely ever use, then get rid of them. If it’s clothing or household goods, then charity stores are always looking for stock. If it’s something of value, perhaps Marketplace or selling online and if it’s just really clutter or something of little value, then perhaps it should find its way to the bin. I personally believe many of us simply just have way too much ‘stuff’ in our offices and homes and a good clean out, or declutter on a regular basis is worthwhile. If it feels like it will be a daunting task, then break it up. Just a cupboard or drawer at a time. Starting small can often remove the overwhelm of a huge task, but done in bite-size chunks makes it do-able. Remember decluttering can be anything; from cleaning out your car, to cleaning out your wallet or clearing up your computer desktop.
Archive
In business, two things you should be doing here. The first is to go paperless (see my eBook on this) … as a paperless office means less clutter, less space needed to store paperwork and it’s also easier to find and locate information. If, however, you have paper files, then regularly archive these. It’s best to list what is archived (in a Word doc list) and what you’re putting in what box and number the box according to the list.
Lists are Your Friend
Part of being organised is organising your brain. We often have so much floating around in our heads, that it becomes congested and sometimes overwhelm occurs. Whether the list is medical appointments to action, or a to do list or list of groceries to get when shopping, they do make life easier. There are so many apps now which are great for different lists. I like ShopShop for groceries, whereas Microsoft To Do List is great for those various things you don’t want to forget to action. If it’s business, you may use other apps or software according to your needs. If thoughts (rather than lists) are filling your head, then journalling is a great strategy to get it out of your head and onto paper (or a tablet or iPad).
Use CRMs to Track Leads
Another area in business is lead tracking, which if you’re organised, then opportunities won’t fall through the cracks or slip through your fingers. There are many CRMs which do the job well; some are free, some have free versions and some are quite expensive. There is something for everyone; it’s purely about deciding what’s important for you, doing some research and then making a decision. What doesn’t work so well is if you’ve a larger organisation and some of the team don’t consistently use the CRM. With any system, it’s not just about choosing what’s best for you, but about ensuring you consistently use it.
Get Organised with Your Time
Designating what you will do is another organisation strategy. Often it’s good to do things in bulk or batches. That works for cooking lasagna, or reviewing emails. Things done in batches usually take less time and we have set times for that activity. You may also batch up client visits or quotations, selecting to do them at certain times of the day, or even certain days of the week. Have a system and stick to it – that word again – consistency.
Stock Up
I suggest in business, if someone gives you a client, send them a personally handwritten thank you card with a scratchie. This is a perfect example of stocking up. I’ll buy 10 cards at a time, 10 scratches and have a box of envelopes and stamps handy. Stock up on anything you use a lot; not only does it save you time, but often, buying in larger quantities is more cost-effective. And again, remember, everything goes in its place; so you shouldn’t be hunting around different drawers to find your strip of postage stamps.
Set Regular Hours and Take Breaks
If you’re working from home, or are a business owner, then invariably you control your hours to some degree. Select your work hours, somewhat set lunch breaks and try to operate like a job. Even if you’re busy, stop and have a lunch break. This not only allows you to eat something nutritious, but also allows you to clear your head and recharge. At the end of the day, set a finish time, clear/tidy your desk and close the lid to your laptop! Finish work and walk away from it. Emails will be there in the morning and when you’re rested and refreshed, you’ll be able to tackle things more effectively. Likewise, by starting the day (and ending the day) with a tidy desk, helps you to be more organised too.
Remove Distractions
Distractions can affect productivity and cause disorganisation. If you’ve a million distractions a day, then you’re less likely to stay focused, on task, organised and effective. Removing distractions really starts with determining what the distractions are. Are they emails, people, staff asking questions, client enquiries, or something else? Remember some distractions (like new customers wanting to give you business) are a good distraction, but even with that, you can often be more effective. If you get the wrong type of customer reaching out, is your website providing the right information, or do you need a FAQ page? I often do time audits with my coaching clients to help them find effective strategies for time management and time effectiveness.
Want to be Better Organised When it Comes to Money?
Whether you’re a business owner or an individual, we often want to increase our profit or money that we have left over. Money management comes in many ways. It can be anything from shopping around for better pricing (eg your electricity supplier) to having a budget and ensuring you don’t overspend. For business owners, it might be having shorter trading terms and a more effective collection process. But this all starts with knowing some of the base figures. Remember, we can improve what we can manage and we can manage what we know.
If you’re needing help with organisation, time mastery or your life or business – reach out to me; only too happy to chat about your needs. Visit my Contact page.
