How Getting Organized can Lead you to Business Success

If you saw my office right now, you may tell me I need to get organized. 

It is not messy per say, but yes, I have a few piles of papers, folders, books, notebooks, an arrangement of post-it notes and a good collection of glasses (ok, I have a few) on my desk.

Can you relate?

I also have a pile of running shoes in the corner that I use each AM. 🙂

Sometimes we just need neat piles and stacks to KEEP us organized.

I do wish I had a cleaner ‘looking’ office though. 😁

I know exactly what each stack has in it, what each notebook stands for and what is going on with every folder. While it may ‘look’ unorganized, for me it is my organized system. 

I also have a very organized morning routine. I wake up early, start a cup of coffee, take 1 sip before I walk, run a 5k, walk again, and get back for my full cup of coffee. I then get in a sauna session before I am at my office desk. 

While that might seem detailed and crazy 🤪, it is that routine that works for me to plan my day to keep it organized. The run and sauna times are my daily, mental clarity moments that help me create my to-do list for the day and market new ideas. 

Organizing just has many “looks”. 👀

The main goal in being organized is to do it in the way that works best for YOU and produces what you need to get things done so you can stay focused on your goals. 

Without my morning routine, I feel no organization in my day. And there are some mornings when I have to tweak my routine when I have other morning commitments, but I then make a plan so I stay organized and productive during the day.

Do you feel confident in your organization? Do you wish you had a better system?

How to help your daily organization

As a Virtual Assistant, I organize a lot of business chaos, and I love it. 🤍 

When you run a business and balance life, it can be hard to keep it all organized, and being unorganized can cause a lot of headaches in business. 

You not only have paperwork but you have a full inbox, DM messages on socials, plus text messages and voicemails, and that desktop, oh the desktop … so many files you are sent and downloaded that are often stored chaotically. 

These are daily pieces that can interrupt your daily business tasks, things that can become super annoying when unorganized and then waste your time.

So how could you be more organized with those pieces? 

Here are 5️⃣ quick tips that could help you stay more organized. 

To-Do List. 📝 

When you have so many pieces to keep track of day in and day out, it is great to remove them from your mind and put them onto paper, whether that is daily or weekly. You can write them or create your list on your phone. When you list your daily tasks out, you can see each task directly and can then check it off as you get it done.

The visual of it all in one place is so helpful in staying focused on what needs to be done, and it produces a sense of accomplishment each day. The main thing to do is be sure you follow-up with the list often throughout the day(s) and use it to be accountable for staying organized. 

Calendar Management. 🗓️ 

Designating days of the week for certain tasks is a standout for being organized. Really think about your days of the week and how you would like to see it “play out”. If Mondays are best for you to get into the office and get caught up on emails and office work, make that your Monday priority each week, do not schedule meetings and appointments on Mondays, set those on another day.

I work to schedule appointments on Monday, business in-person meetings on Fridays, Tuesday - Thursday are for zoom meetings and office work days, with Wednesdays being my writing day.  When you work to keep your days more consistent week to week, it keeps you organized in many of your tasks. It is also important to make sure you keep all your appointments on your calendar/planner to stay up-to-date and all in one place. 

Responses. 💻

A great way to keep an inbox organized is to respond to emails and messages as soon as you open them instead of opening them and pushing responses to a later time. Designate blocks of time each day, maybe one in the morning, one in the afternoon,  to check and respond to emails and messages. Once you hit send on a response, file that email or delete it. This will keep you updated and your inbox organized.

Time Management. ⏰

Own your time. Make the best of the hours you designate to business. If you have a commute or time behind the windshield, use this time for calls you need to make or listen to a training that has been on your to-do list. If you are in a waiting room for an appointment, use it to delete messages in your inbox, or answer DM messages on socials.

If a meeting cancels, make sure you look at your to-do list and use that time to check off a few of those tasks. A big tip for time is to also make sure you take some breaks in your day, this will help you stay more focused, which does help you stay organized. When you get dreary in a day, you lose the energy to work at your best, take a quick walk to get refocused. 

Declutter. 🖇️

It is great to take 15 minutes at the end of each day to clean up your desk and space. Just the small things like putting pencils back in the drawer, filing your paperwork, or maybe stacking your project pieces nicely on your desk so you can find each piece the next day. When you keep things in their “homes” you will start your next day feeling good and organized. If you keep papers all over, it will be harder to find what you need to start the day.

If you feel your organization could use a boost, give one of the tips a try, stay consistent with it, and make it part of your daily routine.

Organizing does not have to be overwhelming 

As mentioned earlier, organization has many ‘looks’. We all need to find our routines and systems that work well to keep us organized and focused on our specific goals and business.

Sometimes it can feel overwhelming, but making a plan to get better organized will make it less overwhelming. If you feel like you’re struggling to get organized in your life or business, my best advice is to determine your TOP area of disorganization and start there.

For example, if your number one unorganized piece in your day is your email inbox, focus there first. 

For this organization task specifically, you could designate 2 specific times in your day where you can sit down at your desk to respond and delete emails. Make sure you give it a go for a week to start. If it is working, keep that going into the next week. 

If what you try doesn’t work and you can’t find the time, sometimes it’s best to actually outsource it. 

As humans, sometimes we need the reminder that getting help is OK. We often think we can do all the things, but there are only so many hours in a day, and maybe we also want to live outside of work. 😁

Just like you might hire someone to help keep your home clean, there are various ways you can hire help in your business based on your specific needs.

And while it might seem that something like email is a simple task, the truth is that it takes your TIME and when you don’t have enough time for it, you could miss out on many new business opportunities.

“If you deprive yourself of outsourcing and your competitors do not, you're putting yourself out of business.” – Lee Kuan Yew.

Are you ready to be more organized? 

There is never a bad time to get more organized, but finding the time to make it work can be tough.

But when you keep things organized, it helps you reach new goals and grow in business.

My best advice is to determine where you need to start, make a plan, set aside the time, and put it to work. 

But at the end of the day, if you know you need more help with getting and staying organized in your business, consider what can be outsourced! 

I help business owners stay on top of business each day. I create systems for the inbox and calendars, keeping things organized so they can continue to work on their strengths. 

If that sounds like what you’re searching for, let’s connect! Virtually Brady helps you get the tasks done. 🖤