These are a few of my favorite things…
Getting Organized in the Google Era
Lifehacker: The Guide to Working Smarter, Faster and Better
Time Management from the Inside Out
Organizing for the Creative Person
These and many other great books, websites, blogs and products can be found under the Resources tab.
Organize: 20 Minutes at a Time
Overwhelm is a huge problem for many people. If your office is cluttered and disorganized, it can be extremely difficult to find the energy and motivation to start digging out. Where do you begin?
Like any big project, the key is to break it down into smaller tasks so it’s more manageable. Try to work on it for just 20 minutes a day. Here’s what you might get done in 20 minutes:
- Clean out a file drawer.
- Clean a desk drawer.
- See how many electronic files you can clean out, creating new folders.
- Remove everything from your desk, clean it and put back only what needs to be there. Put the rest in a box to sort tomorrow.
- Sort the box from yesterday. Donate, recycle, trash.
- Clean up your computer desk top. Remove unused icons.
- Clean out your pen holder.
- Clean off a bookshelf. Donate books you no longer need.
If after 20 minutes you feel motivated to continue, by all means, do. If not, begin again tomorrow.
Remember that once your office is organized it takes maintenance to keep it that way. Still set aside 15-20 minutes a day to put things away and keep your desk looking neat and tidy.
Tackling any big project this way is sure to help ease overwhelm and make some serious progress on your goal to creating an organized space.
It’s Tax Time. Do You Know Where Your Receipts Are?
It’s that time of year when people are cleaning out files, getting ready to file taxes and trying to stick to that elusive New Year’s Resolution: “Get Organized”. Maybe you’ve printed off your reports from your reconciled to the penny QuickBooks file and then meticulously placed your alphabetized 2010 files into a sturdy, white banker’s box from Office Max. Or, more likely, you’ve scooped up all of your receipts and crammed them into a shoebox to hand over to your accountant.
If you’re a small business owner and you don’t have some kind of software to keep track of your income and expenses, get one! Software like QuickBooks is very easy to use – I’d even call it idiot-proof. If you are not inclined to keep up with your books, hire a bookkeeper to enter your receipts and reconcile your accounts.
Other helpful tips:
Write expense categories on your receipts the same day you make the purchase and file them by payment method for easy bank and credit card reconciliation.
Don’t forget to enter cash receipts.
Enter receipts into your software weekly (or even daily) instead of monthly to avoid overwhelm.
File your receipts and statements right away. Avoid putting them in a pile or into a “To File” folder. Again, this just leads to overwhelm and procrastination.
Ask for help. Your accountant may also do bookkeeping services. If not, they are sure to have a referral for you.
Clear the Clutter
I hired a babysitter recently and the first thing she said when she came into our home was "It's so clean!" I would not call my house clean. If you really look you'll find plenty of dirt, dust and dog hair. I'm not a clean freak, I'm a neat freak. I can't stand clutter on counters or desks, dishes in the sink or shoes and toys on the floor.
When things pile up I can feel myself getting anxious. Clutter distracts me and I am not able to focus on anything else. If you are a clutter collector I have a challenge for you. Clear the clutter in just one room in your house. Clearing clutter from an office might make you more productive. Clearing clutter from a bedroom might make you feel more relaxed. Give it a try and see how removing just a little bit of clutter can not only clear your space but also clear your mind.
