An organized office is a profitable one. As your small business focuses on improving efficiency and productivity to increase revenue, do not forget to also look at how to clear clutter to get the results you want this year. These three innovative strategies are ones to consider.
Start with Your Desk
How does your office look? If your desk is disorganized, your mind might be the same way. The mess also gives your customers and staff the impression that you are unfocused.
To remedy that, clear away papers you do not need and organize those that you still need into file sorters and letter trays. Avoid mismanaged piles of paper on desktop and in drawers that are distracting for you.
Consider creating a drawer specifically for supplies, such as pens and letterhead paper, so that you can find things quickly. Once the desk is organized, you will be surprised how much time you save not searching for items and that you look forward to working at the desk rather than avoiding it because of the clutter.
Manage Time Better
Getting yourself better organized applies to how your schedule too. Use a virtual calendar or a paper one, depending on which one you prefer. Schedule all your appointments on this calendar, rather than trying to remember everything.
Next, take a day to log how long every activity you do that day takes; list the tasks on a piece of paper or in a note app on your phone and the amount of time it takes. Do this time logging from the morning to the evening. The goal here is to identify timewasters, from emails to phone calls and errands.
If you discover that you are spending more time than you would like to on a specific activity, put a time limit on it. For example, you might limit reading emails to 20 minutes in the morning and then plan to check it after lunch and then again at the end of the day. That is as opposed to checking emails every half hour, which can slow down your productivity significantly.
Use Storage Space
Rather than complaining that there is not enough room for business inventory on-site, rent a self-storage unit from StorageArea.com rather than leasing or buying a warehouse. Storage units are more affordable than warehouses, especially when you factor in the location.
Storage units also do not lock you into a lease; use it if needed to house products you are selling or large business supplies. Finally, get the clutter out of the way; messes are tiring to look at and make inventory management a nightmare.
You will also get peace of mind by having a secure unit separate from your business premise. Some examples of businesses that find great value in using a storage locker are retail shops, book dealers, contractors, and sales professionals.
Final Words on Organization Strategies
As you start to manage operations with a clearer mind and environment, you will likely find that your customers and employees take note. Encourage your team to follow your lead to take the improvements to the next level.
From organizing your time smarter to clearing your desk of clutter and renting a storage unit for products, there are a lot of ways to improve your business. While there are only 24 hours in a day, you can bolster productivity significantly, you make the most of the minutes within it.
Kidal Delonix is a contributor to Mr. Hoffman's blog. The views and opinions are entirely his/her own and may not reflect Mr Hoffman's views.
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