ORGanization in Business

By Tami Harris

Organization. You pretty much either love it or hate it. We all know that person, a friend, family member or coworker, or perhaps even ourselves, that is extremely organized and seems to always have it all together. On the contrary, we are also quite familiar with the one who struggles to stay organized, has a difficult time meeting deadlines or showing up on time, and is generally frazzled with what life has to throw at them. Surely there are benefits of being organized in our personal lives. We have seen those live and in living color. In business, like in life, being organized is of the utmost importance and can prove to be a critical part of success no matter what your professional field may be. If you struggle with staying organized in your business, you are certainly not alone. It is no surprise that many people find organizational skills foreign to them as this is not something that is often taught throughout our many years of education. Oftentimes as adults, we are left navigating these uncharted waters without an actual game plan; freestyling as we go, hoping to get it right, only to find ourselves falling short and suffering the many consequences that may arise as a result of a lack of organization. 

So where do we go from here? How do we do it? What are the key areas in which to get organized in our business and how on earth do we maintain that level of organization once we get there? You're in luck, because today is all about teaching you how to get organized, how to stay organized, and to prepare you to reap the benefits of all of your hard work.

• First things first, let's start with your work environment. Whether you work in a large corporate setting, a co-working space, in a small family-owned business or from the comfort of your own in-home office, where you work is often the starting point for how you work. So stop what you're doing and take a look around. No, really. Look at your office or cubicle. Take a look at your desk. If someone were to make a snap judgment about you as an employee or business owner, what does your workspace say to them? Does it portray you as organized; someone who is competent and more than capable to get the job done?  Or does it leave something to be desired when it comes to first impressions? Organizing this workspace is actually much easier than it seems and the benefits can be huge. Starting with your desk, clear any old documents or papers that are ready to be trashed or shredded. For the important things that are left behind, create a filing system that works for you and your business. There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to a filing system but having one is a great step in helping you stay organized. By having a clean and tidy workspace, you can easily increase your productivity simply because you're not wasting valuable time looking for things. This frees you up for more important tasks and can increase your likelihood for meeting deadlines and being on time for meetings. Every minute matters.

• Now that your physical work environment is taken care of, what about your digital workspace? Just like with your desk, the first step in getting your digital house in order is clearing away any unneeded files from your computer or laptop and setting up a digital filing system that works best for you. To save time searching for things in the future, organize your digital files in a way that will make them easily searchable when you need them. Depending on your line of work, this could be by date, client name, project type, etc. Base your system on the type of work that you do and tailor it to your specific needs. It may seem like a small detail, but giving digital files specific (read: easily searchable) names will save you so much time in the long run. Less time spent searching means more time spent working! 
• With workspace out of the way, it's time to tackle the all-important calendar. We all have so many things to do in our professional lives, and when you add on our personal commitments as well, the balancing act of managing a hectic schedule can often leave us feeling overworked and overwhelmed. This is all the more reason to make sure that you are in control of your calendar (and not the other way around)! So how do you do that? First and foremost, decide how you want to keep your calendar. If you are the type of person who needs to write things down, then of course a paper or desktop calendar is the way to go. If digital is more your speed, then by all means put your Google calendar to work for you. Regardless of the type of calendar, the most important thing is that you actually keep one. Meetings, deadlines, projects, even important phone calls that need to be returned or emails that need to be sent should go on a calendar as a reminder. Not only does it keep you accountable to the things that you have on hand, but it also can give you the gentle push needed to keep you on task and even better, ahead of schedule. Keeping a calendar seems like it should go without saying, especially in a business setting, but far too often, deadlines get missed, we are late to meetings and in turn we are stuck scrambling to complete our tasks. By putting everything possible on your calendar, it will not only keep you organized but it can also prevent you from being late or double-booking commitments by mistake. In short, your calendar is your sanity-saver. It is important to note one critical piece of information with regards to keeping an updated calendar: In order to keep your schedule organized and reap the benefits of doing so two things must happen:

1. When a new event arises, it goes on your calendar immediately. Don't fall into the trap of thinking “I can just add it to my calendar later.” Do it now and save yourself the  headache of realizing you forgot in the future! Remember, if it is not on your calendar, it does not exist.
2. Check your calendar daily. Like any new habit, checking your calendar with regularity and on a schedule of its own, will take some time and getting used to. For most people, taking a look at the calendar first thing in the morning is the best time to for most people taking a look at the calendar first thing in the morning

So check early and update often for the best chances for success!
Congratulations! You made it through the necessary steps. You’ve created all of the appropriate systems and gotten yourself and your business organized. Now what? What exactly do you have to look forward to as a result of your hard work and commitment to the process of getting organized? While the benefits are many, here are the top 5 ways in which you can expect to benefit from getting your business organized.
1) Expect an increase in productivity. 
Because you’ll be spending less time searching for what you need, you’ll be able to devote more of your time to the important tasks presented to you on a daily basis. Your newfound organization can even lead to a more efficient workflow and better communication with members of your team as well.

2) Expect to experience less stress in the workplace.
Simply put, a lack of organization can lead to more stress on the job. Once you’re organized, you can say goodbye to the frustration that comes with misplaced files, rushing to that meeting you forgot about, or worse, explaining to your manager or client that you need an extension on that project due to a lack of proper planning on your part. Sure, work will still have its challenges. But organization no longer needs to be the source of your stress.

3) Expect to miss fewer deadlines.
This is a no-brainer really. You’ve got your system down, you’re checking and updating your calendar regularly and the natural result is simple. You are where you’re supposed to be, when you’re supposed to be there. Your tasks get completed on time because you put in the work in the beginning.
4) Expect to be on-time more often (if not all the time).
With your calendar set and reminders in place, forgetting that 2 o’clock meeting is no longer an option. You’ve blocked that time out in your schedule already and because you check it regularly, you know what’s coming up the pipeline throughout your day with little to no surprises. And last but certainly not least...
5) Expect to feel more accomplished in the workplace.
Let’s face it. A job well done just feels good. Once you’re organized, less stressed, and more productive at the office the sense of accomplishment that’s to follow is just the icing on the cake.

So pat yourself on the back. You did it. Getting and staying organized is an ongoing process. But you’re well on your way!