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As a small business owner, you have a long struggle ahead of you. You will need to work day and night to grow your company, bring in new clients, and keep your operations streamlined and profitable. 60% of start-ups fail within the first three years, so you need to be committed and not let setbacks get you down.
There are so many factors that determine whether a small business will fail or succeed but one of the key areas is organization. If you keep your records, documents, and data neat and tidy, you are smart with your time, and you know where everything is, you will be less susceptible to mistakes and disruption. Whereas if your office is a mess and your head is all over the place, things could end very badly for you.
So how can you stay organized when you’re spinning a million different plates at once? To help you out, here are three organizational tips that might save your business.
Keep your workspace tidy
Whether you are working from home or in a rented office, you need to keep on top of the clutter. A messy desk and an inconsistent filing system make you more likely to lose important information, as well as waste time hunting for things when you misplace them. A clean environment is also highly beneficial for reducing stress and boosting productivity so maintain good habits and make sure you clean your office at the end of each day.
Manage your finances sensibly
In the early stages of running a company, a lot of business owners do all their bookkeeping with Excel spreadsheets. When you’re a one-person operation with a small number of clients and very little cash flow, this is a simple enough solution. But as soon as your business starts to grow then you will realize it is an unsustainable system. Payroll for new employees, tax, insurance, and overheads will all get out of control, and you risk not only making costly mistakes but also inadvertently committing tax fraud. To save yourself an unwanted visit from the taxman, consider organizing your finances with a scalable business accounting software. Or better yet, hiring a dedicated account to manage everything for you. These options will come at a cost, but they will ultimately save you a great deal of time and money.
Plan your days
When you have a neverending to-do list, several different roles to fill, and an overflowing email inbox, it can be difficult to know which task to tackle first. You can end up being overwhelmed by choice overload and getting very little done. To counter this, start every week and every day by planning out your itinerary for that period. Make a list of the tasks you plan to complete in order of priority. This will help keep you focused on the important jobs and hold you accountable for your actions. Invest in a good quality business planner or a personalized journal (https://nottai.com/personalized-journals/) for this purpose.
