Work Smarter, Not Harder: 7 Organizational Hacks for Small Businesses
As a small business owner, you understand how precious time is. From the minute you get into the office until it’s time to leave, using your time wisely and productively will ensure your business runs smoothly. How you manage your time can be the difference between success and failure, so if you’re struggling to keep on top of everything, here are 7 organizational hacks that can help.
Go Paperless
One of the best ways to be more organized at work is by reducing clutter. Limiting your paper usage will free up time that you would otherwise spend sifting through filing cabinets. Manual data entry can be time consuming and if you lose forms and important documents in the process, this can hinder any project that you’re working on. You can utilize drag and drop software for creating your own forms online, meaning you can digitize inefficient paperwork.
Manage Your Office Space
Once you have got rid of clutter, it’s important that you make sure your physical surroundings are neat and tidy. Keeping a clean and orderly workspace will boost productivity and help you stay organized. To start, you need to ensure that everything has a specific place. Whether you have limited space or tons of room, it’s recommended to use vertical storage solutions that can improve business efficiency and workflow. Being around mountains of paper and equipment can take its toll on your mental state, causing you to be more less productive. An open and spacious environment can boost your mood and keep you on track of your business operations.
Stay Focused
From the moment you begin working, it’s vital that you stay focused on your workload. To do this effectively, you should set times to check your email. This will ensure that any important emails won’t distract you until you have the time to give them your full attention. You should also use your browser in full screen which will help you concentrate. Social media can be a big productivity killer, so it’s advised to take regular breaks which can give you some time away from your work and ensure you return feeling productive and motivated.
Master Your Inbox
If you’re the type of business owner who keeps hold of every email they have ever received, now is the right time to organize. There are numerous emails tools that you can use, which will categorize your emails into lists, helping you to sift through what’s important and getting rid of spam. If you have subscribed to newsletters and find that your inbox is being littered with junk, it’s wise that subscriptions are sent to your personal email address instead. When you’re in work mode, you do not want to get sidetracked by a clothing sale email, so it’s best to not mix business with pleasure.
Empower Your Team
While you may be an expert at staying organized and in control, it’s important that your team follows suit, which will boost productivity and efficiency in the workplace. As a small business owner, your employees will look up to you, so empowering your team can enhance company morale. To achieve this, you will need to learn how to delegate responsibly, show authority, and possess excellent communication skills. Once your team learn how to be more organized, you will notice an increase in their quality of work.
Plan Social Media Campaigns in Advance
For your small business to thrive, it’s important that you establish a presence on social media. Using platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be a great way to keep in touch with your customers. Whether you’re responding to customer inquiries, or want to send out promotional posts, you should plan your social media campaigns in advance. Instead of wasting time sending out posts every couple of hours, you can schedule them to be sent out at specific times throughout the day, meaning you can get on with other important tasks.
Organize Your Passwords
Many small business owners either use the same password for each website, or constantly forget what their passwords are. If you fall into this category, trying to remember your password can be frustrating. If you’re working on a project and find yourself spending more time changing your password, it may be time to let an app handle your passwords. While you can use browsers like Chrome to do this, they aren’t completely safe, and anyone who accesses your computer can use them. It’s advised to use tools like iPassword which is a program that stores all your passwords together, both as a desktop and smartphone app.
There are only so many hours in a day, so in order to stay in control of your business operations, using all the organizational hacks above will improve productivity in the workplace for both you and your employees.
This article has been published in accordance with Socialnomics’s disclosure policy.
