Improve Your Office Environment Structure

By Rebecca White

In the beginning I was like so many work at home businesses I didn’t know how to organize both my time and my work space. After much learning and experimenting I was able to find what works for me. Here are some suggestions that I have found useful. You will find what fits your needs and business as well. Try out the tips below, figure out what works for you. Only you will know what works and doesn’t work for you.

1. Have a planner.
2. Have a notebook just to jot down ideas real fast.
3. Have pens and pencils at the ready.
4. Have an area to hold all your CD Roms that you use.
5. Have a file cabinet to hold all your files, sales receipts, etc.
6. Have a HUGE wall calendar to look at in a glance.
7. Have your phone near your computer with the answering machine on it
8. Have Caller ID, WHY? So you can glance at your phone and decide if you can answer the phone. I hate it when I am in deep thought and I get bothered by a non-important call, such as the newspaper salesperson or a recorded message that I could have listened to later.
9. Keep your printer supplies in reach. If at all possible, keep an extra ink cartridge, extra printing paper and extra highlighters, etc., so you don’t run out. Check in your area to see if Office Depot or Office Max will exchange your ink cartridge for paper. I never have to buy paper, as I have so many ink cartridges saved. I take one cartridge to one store and go to the next with another and thus have two reams of paper sitting at my table at all times.
10. Keep any books you refer to for work on or near your computer table for quick reference.
11. Have an index box to hold all your customer contact information.
12. Keep track of customer’s birthdays and send them cards when it comes around.
13. Keep a diary. Why is this important? On those days you are so frustrated and just need to vent…write it all down! Get it off your chest! Then walk away for a while and do something else.
14. Have a brief case to hold any information for those times you go networking offline. Yep, I said offline. To be really successful, no matter what you do, you need to do both online and offline marketing. So keep a brief case or a file folder ready at all times to run out the door, you never know when and where your next client will come from.

Remember to be successful in a home based business you need to be organized. Start out each day knowing what it is you need to do for that day. Don’t spend all your time trying to get organized do it in small steps and soon your business and your life will be running smoothly.