Get Your Life Together
By Peter Switzer

What's your level of organisation? Are you stressed out with paperwork? Does the phone ring incessantly (if it does in tough times like these, that's a good sign!)? Do emails flood in? Does it feel like there’s not enough time in the day to get things done? Most people know they have to get organised, but the only thing stopping them is they don't know how.

Most of us are time poor in business. Looking after customers and staff, red tape jobs for governments such as tax, workers compensation insurance and all the other stuff makes business life squeezed. Throw in family responsibilities and of our time bank accounts are well overdrawn.

Managing time is not just about finding relaxation space for you, the owner/manager, it’s about getting jobs done efficiently, raising your own productivity, and reducing mistakes and costly mishaps. It makes your business look more professional and it creates more certainty in the workplace, which will please staff. Here are some organisational gems for business owners who need to sort out their act:

Write it down

Record your appointments and things to do on a daily basis. Most importantly, follow up on your promises. That's why most people over-promise and under-deliver. They don’t write down what they promise and when they will do it.

Set up a filing system

Organise your paperwork and electronic files into logical categories: clients, suppliers, bank, leases, insurance, staff, tax, etc.

Plan time to work on your business

Allocate a particular time each week to review your strategies and plan for the future.

Lead from the front

Keep your mind open to new ideas. Read, listen and attend seminars that will develop you personally and professionally.

Look after your team

Have a daily or weekly team meeting. Review what's been happening and what's possible for the future. Communicate regularly and get feedback from your number one asset - your staff. Recognise and reward them often. Send them off to seminars to enhance their skills. If you look after your staff, they'll look after your business, your clients and customers.

Learn to say "No"

To dramatically improve your productivity and do more of the things you want, you must be firm with others and let them know if you can not, will not or are unavailable to fulfil their requests. If you constantly say "yes" to everyone else's requests, you'll never have the time to do what you really want to.

Delegate or outsource

See if there are ways you can delegate tasks that would suit someone else's talents. Many office and home-based workers are spending heaps of time on mundane secretarial tasks that would take a person trained in that area a quarter of the time to do. Consider using a part-time personal or virtual assistant.

Avoid unnecessary meetings

Before agreeing to attend a meeting, check if you really need to be there. Maybe a phone call or email will be just as effective.

Prepare checklists

Any task that has to be undertaken on a regular basis and involves a number or items or steps to complete requires a checklist. A checklist is just a simple list of the items/steps/procedures that need to be followed to achieve the end result i.e. a sales person can prepare a list of items to take on every call: diary, client file, product list, order forms, products, etc.

Many business owners find it useful to do a daily time sheet for a few weeks to see how they are using or misusing their time.
Once you see how you are using your time, start to design a time plan that makes much more time for those activities that bring the greatest reward.

Some high-flyers who actually rule out one full day where they don’t take phone calls, except from their PAs, instead use the time to visit branch offices and to chat with their staff at the coalface. Others block out times for emails, making calls and holding face-to-face meetings. The overall aim is to get the best use out of your precious time resource.

You might think that some of this is pretty basic, and it is. But it's the basic stuff we need to master in business if we want to get ahead. If you're hopeless at getting yourself organised, make it a priority goal to pay someone to keep you in line. Even if you can't afford it now, write down a date when you'll bring someone in – for long-term sustainability you can't afford not having your act together.

Quick tips for getting organised
1. Look after yourself first
2. Clean out the clutter
3. Have a supportive work environment
4. Use a diary or digital organiser
5. Set up a filing system that makes sense
6. Plan time to work on your business
7. Remember to lead from the front
8. Look after your team
9. Delegate or outsource
10. Learn to say "no"
11. Avoid unnecessary meetings
12. Prepare checklists.