Organizing Yourself to Work From Home
Some people seem to be born organized. Planning a productive workday, arranging an efficient workspace, and avoiding distractions seem effortless to some people. The rest of us need to work at it.I am definitely a “need to work at it” type of person. I would much rather do something creative that file papers. I would much rather spend time with family and friends than do my bookkeeping. I have lived with these character traits (deficiencies) long enough, however, to have experienced the downside of disorganization.I have lost sales due to lost paperwork. I have lost sales due to lack of follow-up. I have missed deadlines and overpaid for services. I have held myself back time and time again by being the disorganized, scatter-brained, creative type that I am. But, thankfully, I am learning and getting better at time management! Here is what you need to know to get yourself organized in your home office.1) It’s up to you.The first step toward getting organized is to realize that nobody is going to do it for you. Even if someone came in and organized all your papers and procedures, you will still be the one to keep it going in the day-to-day. Take responsibility for your disorganization and learn to do things differently.Some of your challenge will be physically organizing your workspace so that it works smoothly for you. You will also need to organize your time, which can be much more difficult. All this is also evolving. As your business grows and you get a better idea as to what needs to be done, your priorities and tasks will change. In addition to developing productive routines, you will need to be flexible as you build your business.2) It takes time.Learning new patterns and routines is a process. It takes at least three weeks of consistent practice to develop a new habit. Use a spreadsheet to keep track of your progress. I use the free online spreadsheets and calendar at Google Docs to stay organized.List all the tasks that you need to accomplish daily, weekly, or monthly. Routine tasks go into the spreadsheet. Use the calendar for everything else. Check these off when completed. When you have reached a milestone in accomplishing all your tasks, give yourself a reward!3) It will get easier.Once you have acquired the daily habits that will get the important things done, your tasks will not seem as difficult as they do at first. Any task gets easier with practice. Don’t get discouraged if at first it seems impossible! You will master your work and master your time as you just stick to it. Good time management always pays off.Keep your goals in mind as you face each new day. What do you hope to accomplish? Where do you want to end up? Keeping these things in front of you can be a great motivator. Remember that your attitude makes all the difference in determining your success.Take the time and put in the work to develop good habits. These will last a lifetime and go a long way toward making your dream a reality as you become the person you desire to be.
