Tips for Staying Organized & Focused on Your Business

Does your desk deserve the nickname "disaster area"? Do you find yourself doing busy work instead of "real work"? Here are some tips on how to get organized and stay focused on your business. Not only will being organized allow you to find things, it will make you money. Imagine how much extra time you'll have to work when you aren't searching for things! And by utilizing your time correctly, you will find you can be more productive than you ever thought possible!

If you have piles of papers and folders strewn across one room, an assortment of notes scribbled on sticky notes in another room and a half-eaten sandwich sitting on the important phone number you needed yesterday, it's time to take charge and start organizing your mess! The first thing you'll want to purchase is a planner. This can be anything from an electronic PDA to an old fashioned paper kind. Find one that fits your needs. You will also want to set up a client database to store phone numbers, email addresses, etc. You can do this directly from your email program in the "contacts section", you can buy an old fashioned phone and address book, or you can buy some index cards and a recipe box. The point is to find something that works for you and your lifestyle.

Setting up files and folders will keep your papers organized. You don't need to purchase a whole filing cabinet if you don't feel it's necessary. You can get a filing box for a very reasonable price. Get some hanging file folders and manila folders to sort the papers that go in each individual hanging file. These can be labeled a multitude of different ways to suit your individual business needs. You will definitely want to have a file dedicated to saving receipts for your taxes! You can label manila folders for each month of the year, and when each month is over you can tally up the total for that month's receipts. At the end of the year, you will most of your "tax work" already done!

Even the most organized person can be easily distracted and procrastinate when it comes to completing tasks. It is even easier when you work from home! If you find yourself doing household chores during time that should be spent working on your business, allow me to let you in on a little secret: The dishes can wait! The laundry can wait! Guess what? The laundry and dishes will still be there, waiting for you, after you return those phone calls or answer those emails. However, will your client still be waiting for you after you get the house clean, do the laundry, or make dinner? Maybe they will, but they may also move on to someone who completes tasks faster than you.

Working from a home office can be lonely - who knew you would miss office quarrels and gossip? To combat the loneliness, team up with another person who works from home. Keep each other accountable and focused on your work by sending one another an email in the morning of what you'd like to accomplish and another one at night of what actually got accomplished!

Setting goals will keep you motivated and as you complete each goal, give yourself a little reward. Take your goal for the month and work backwards to set your weekly and daily goals. Once you know what you are working towards, it will be a lot easier to get there!