Organization Tips for Work at Home Moms
Not being organized can make or break your business. Here are a few organization tips for work at home moms to make it easier. After awhile it will become second nature.
Is this you?
Do you have piles of papers on your desk? Is there a stack of receipts shoved in your drawer? Do you ever find yourself looking for a phone number that you just know you wrote down somewhere?
It is no secret that having a disorganized work area is counter productive and down right annoying. Not only does it effect productivity, but it effects your health too. It causes stress and wrinkles, both something to be avoided at all costs.
Although by the nature of being a work at home mom we need flexibility, by getting organized – and staying organized, you will be able to get more work done in less time.
A top organization tip is that a planner of some kind, either using technology or old fashioned paper, is a must. It helps you to able to plan ahead and know at a glance what you should be doing at any given time.
If you have smaller children who have a bad habit of putting your best laid plans awry, you will need to find a different system - you will waste a lot of time planning just to throw your plans out the window every day in frustration - not good for you or them.
In this case, make a list of the top 1 - 3 things to get done. Make the list for the next day at quitting time and hit the ground running when you first get back to work. Work from this list only until it is finished. The rule here is not to pile too much on. As long as you are moving forward and doing your best, that is the best you can do at this time. Celebrate it. (This organization tip is also useful if you are easily distractable or feeling overwhelmed by a long to-do list.)
If you are computer-friendly and your time is a little more your own, you may be familiar with the program Outlook. You can use Outlook to keep track of your emails, your daily schedule, your to-do list, client phone numbers and email addresses and more. I like to use the notes section to put anything I use reoccurring -I simply open the note and copy/paste it. You can even synchronize your MP3 player to Outlook and keep all of your info with you wherever you go!
For those that are not as technology advanced, you can still get organized by using old-fashioned paper products. If you do not have a planner, get one! There are many kinds of planners to choose from, in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Find one that fits your needs and use it to keep track of doctor appointments, school meetings, your work schedule, etc. Set up a client database to keep track of phone numbers, emails and other information. You can do this by getting some 4” x 6” index cards and a recipe box.
I personally have an office supply addiction, so I love to use paper format. I have an index file that I use for a quick reference to many things, I also have an address book for passwords etc and a little day planner that I bought for about $4 to keep track of my bills.
Buying a notebook to keep track of phone numbers and messages, brilliant ideas, and other things you find scribbled on random papers throughout the day is another easy organization tip which can save you a lot of heartbreak by having everything in one place for quick reference.
April is a month that many people dread – it is the due date for your taxes! Here's a quick tax-time organization tip to keep track of recipts: Get a hanging file folder and 12 manila envelopes. Have one envelope for January, one for February and so on. During the month, throw all your receipts in the corresponding envelope. When the month is over, tally up your receipts and write it on the outside of the envelope. That way, when tax time comes, most of your work will already be done.
One more must have is a tickle file. It can be a life saver and make it so easy to keep papers off of your desk but at your fingertips should you need them.
I can hear you giggle now :0)
The main points to remember are that everything needs a home, you need to know where it is - do this with labels and indexes - and take time each day to “take care of the little things”. Believe it or not, it actually saves you time by taking time to be organized. Using these easy organization tips for work at home moms will save you time, money and a lot of frustration while helping your business be a success.
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