Do you find yourself forgetting appointments, missing deadlines and losing contact information? Do you frequently spend time looking for files and important papers?
Let’s be brutally honest here. Could it be because your office and papers are disgracefully disorganized? Could it be because you avoid filing like the plague? Could it be that your information management system is just not functional?
Well, don’t despair. It’s not you (that’s what I tell myself anyway), it’s your information storage methods that are the problem, and these can be fixed.
Essentially, what you need is a place for everything, and everything in its place. And this applies whether you file paper or electronically, or a combination of both.
There are several important elements you must have in your work. One that is absolutely necessary is a working and accessible schedule. Use it as soon as you make the appointment or set the deadline, and consult it several times a day.
In many businesses, another important requirement is for quick access to contact information. Have an accessible card filing system in place to store business cards, and make a point of promptly entering important contacts into mobile phones.
Finally, you must also file or put away working or completed files, so you can find them quickly. That is, after all, why you file.
Here are some additional tips to help keep your business running smoothly:
• Keep notes in one place, either on a pad by the phone or in an electronic file.
• Use a master to-do list every day.
• Keep things that you use frequently close-by, and things you need less often on higher shelves.
• Label files, and consider labeling the inside of drawers and shelves. Then, follow your rules and store things appropriately.
• If you keep electronic files, back up regularly.
• Ensure you have enough space for all required storage.
– Sylvia Putz is a journalist with an interest in decor and design. She’s written for the TV show Arresting Design; sputz@arrestingdesign.com.
