Most Effective Tips and Tools to Keep Your Small Business Organized

Some people are very organized by nature, whereas others are more scattered-brained and this can have a huge impact on productivity, workflow, and overall success in business. On the one hand, having that abstract and artistic way of viewing the world can help when it’s time to be creative, but when it’s time to buckle down and really get things done, it can be a huge hindrance to not be completely organized.

Deal with things as they happen. If something can be dealt with in under 5 or 10 minutes (An email, a quick task, making a phone call...) just do it when you think of it rather than adding it to your to-do list or risking forgetting about it altogether. Procrastination is one of the most dangerous traits for an entrepreneur to have, so if you have those tendencies it’s important to nip them right in the bud and deal with things as soon as you can. Now, if you always stop your big projects to do small tasks all day long, you’ll never get anything done so this is where focus plays a big part as well.

Transcription Services can help a great deal to keep track of meeting minutes, important conversations and more. When you have audio transcribed into text, it becomes searchable and makes it endlessly easier to find the exact excerpts you’re looking for rather than having to listen to an entire file. There is software that can do this, but it doesn’t do a very good job at all, and one little mistake can ruin the effectiveness of an entire document if you are unlucky. It’s best to stick with transcription specialists.

A bookkeeper can help you to keep all of your books in order, to sort your receipts, and to ensure that everything is ready to go for your accountant come tax season. Hiring a bookkeeper is generally a lot less expensive than an accountant, and it’s much better than trying to keep track of all of that for yourself. A good bookkeeper allows you to focus on things that matter more, like getting new customers and growing your business.

Cloud backup is crucial, because you never know when a computer crash will have you out of order, but if your most important files are saved securely on the cloud then all you need is a new computer and you’re back in business. Crisis averted! If you’re worried about the security of the cloud, that’s a legitimate concern so make sure you take proper steps to protect your sensitive documents which could include encryption in some cases, and make sure your cloud account is safe with a strong password (And the same goes for the email address that’s associated with it.)

Keeping your desk clean can make a huge difference. If your desk itself is clean and organized, you’ll have an easier time keeping your computer’s desktop in order as well. Clutter is going to clog up your brain, it’s going to hurt your creativity, and it’s going to make even the smallest of tasks feel like you’re trying to climb a mountain. If you can avoid getting pinned-down by clutter, you’ll be infinitely more productive and also a lot happier.

Find a workflow that suits you. There are countless apps for productivity and organization (Basecamp, Asana, and Trello are the big 3), but hopping from one to another in hopes of some magical solution just isn’t going to happen. The best one is the one that you actually use and they all take some time to setup and to learn to use properly, so be patient. Workflow also includes knowing the best time of day to do certain tasks. Are you most creative in the morning? Schedule your creative tasks for the morning.

Having an awareness of where your business is falling short and what you can do to improve it is vital. When you’re able to identify where most of your time is wasted or not used as efficiently, you’re able to start plugging the holes in the ship and then it is time for smooth sailing ahead!