Staying Organized When You Work at Home
A Home Business Article Contributed by Barbara Gibson
The Dangers of Disorganization When You Work at Home
One of the challenges when you work at home is finding a dedicated space for your office. If you cannot find or make a permanent workstation, you may have particular challenges around storage and organization. There are few things more frustrating than an endless search for a letter or file that "you know must be around here somewhere." Not only do you waste valuable time when you are disorganized, you also risk losing business, contacts and ultimately, money.
If confidentiality is important to your clients, you also risk a breach of trust, which could land you in a good deal of trouble. Whether you do or don't have a dedicated office space, you do owe it to your business, your clients, and yourself to get organized. If things are in a mess, don't worry. You can restore order. You already have all the skills you need to get the job done. Now all you need is the time. To avoid overwhelm, pace yourself. You don't have to reform your ways today.
Set a goal and a deadline for getting the job done.
Work at Home Strategies for Staying Organized
Work at home tools you can use to stay organized include: a bulletin board, file cabinet and folders (rolling and/or portable if you do not have permanent space), a composition (or other type) notebook, baskets, accordion folders, wall calendar (or other visual planner)and three-ring binders. Stroll your local office supply store keeping your needs in mind, and choose what will work best for you. To begin, set aside at least one hour. Take a look at all of your papers, files and mail. Being careful not discard anything you may need later, divide them into categories:
1. Those things you must give your immediate attention.
2. Bills and invoices (these should be placed in the accordion file along with stamps and envelopes)
3. Those items that will need your attention within the next thirty days.
4. Those items requiring action in the next thirty-one to ninety days.
5. Items you must refer to regularly.
6. Things you no longer need.
All relevant dates should be clearly marked on your wall calendar. If you are anything like me, it might be a good idea to note nearing, as well as actual, deadlines. Those items needed for reference should be placed in a three ring binder for at your fingertips access. I find it useful to keep a log of telephone calls and other important information in a composition book. I mark each page with the date and record the name and number of every caller. I never use post-it notes.
They invariably stick to something they should not and disappear when I need them. Instead, I write notes in my composition book. I have found that it is useful to write the dates for which I used the books on the cover. When I refer back to them it is easier to home in on the information I need. A bonus tip: do not bring junk mail in the house if at all possible.
Another Tip for Working Optimally When You Work at Home
For those who prefer high-tech methods, there is a wealth of software to help you get and keep organized. A few words of caution, always back-up your data and information. If you are not familiar with the products that are available, talk to others. Decide what you need and what you want to do before you spend any money. When you work at home every penny counts!
