Too Busy To Get Organized This Year?

by: Kristin MacRae

Too busy to get organized this year?

How many times during 2016 did you say you were too busy to get organized? How much of your valuable time did you spend searching for things in your office? How much unnecessary stress did it cause you? How many clients did you lose because you weren’t following up with them on a timely basis? If your staff is disorganized, do you think they may have been the cause of a client leaving you? When a business is disorganized, there are important qualities that are lacking.

If you’re disorganized, here are 5 areas of your office that will need your attention in 2017.

Paper management. When you don’t have filing systems in place, you’ll end up with chaos in all areas of the office. You’ll waste valuable time searching for a file when you could have just gone to the file drawer to grab it. Files all over the office will also cause a distraction when working. Think about how efficient you were this past year when you were searching for a file.

Handling of money. You make a phone call to your client looking for their payment. They state they mailed you the check weeks ago. It arrived on your desk, but it ended up getting stuck in one of your piles of paper. Were you embarrassed that you had to call your client and tell them you found it? Money in the form of cash, checks and gift cards will be found all over your office if you don’t have a system to process it when it arrives into your office. How much money have you lost this year in the form of cash, checks, or poor record keeping?

Office supplies. Keep all excess office supplies organized and stored in one area of the office. Keep daily office supplies organized in drawer organizers. Keep what you need closest to you so when you need it, you can grab it in seconds without rifling through other items in your drawers. How much money have you wasted on purchasing duplicate supplies because you couldn’t find what you were looking for?

Desk clutter. When you have too much work material on your desk, it can be a distraction. Are you working with too many chatzkies on the desk, bookshelves full of books or binders that are no longer being utilized? Do you have a bulletin board full of useless information and papers taped to the wall? If you bring clients to your office, your clients will be more focused on the disorganization surrounding you at your desk than what you have to say. Utilize your desk drawers for the abundance of writing instruments and supplies you have on your desk. How many of those pens are you using in a day?

Time management. You want to be more efficient and productive. The first thing you have to do is get organized and your time management skills will improve. Once the clutter is cleared and the office is organized, you will see clearer, be more focused and less distracted.

Before you say you’re too busy to get organized, think about how much time and money you’ve wasted this past year. Think about how many clients you may have lost. Take your business to the next level in 2017 just by getting organized. If you continue to operate in a chaotic state, it won’t take long to notice you’re in a downward spiral. Eventually, your business is going to suffer. Make this a priority and watch your business thrive!

Kristin MacRae

Organizing and Efficiency Expert

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