5 Tips to Get Organized for Work at Home Moms

5 Tips To Get Organized For Work At Home Moms
By Becki Maxson

If I was to come into your office area right now, would you cringe? Don’t feel bad, I’ve been there too! But you know you don’t work at your best when things are a mess, or all the important stuff is swimming around in your head. Here are 5 tips to start getting better organized.

Email is your best friend and your worst enemy. If you don’t take charge of it, it will take charge of you! Outlook is a terrific tool to keep track of your emails, your daily schedule, your to-do list, client phone numbers and email addresses and more. I use the folder function to act as an online file cabinet. Really, it’s simple and it works great! I just create a folder by subject and drag pertinent emails into it. Then when I wonder, “What did we talk about last time?” or “Where’s my log-in for that account?” I know right where to go.

Paper, paper everywhere…are you buried? Maybe a computer system isn’t for you, but all is not lost. If you don’t have a planner, get one! There are many kinds of planners to choose from, in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Find one that fits your needs and use it to keep track of doctor appointments, school meetings, your work schedule, etc. Set up a good old-fashioned rolodex or file box to keep track of phone numbers, emails and other information.

I also print out e-books that I buy and put them into report covers with a clear plastic cover so I remember to read them and they don’t go to never-never land on my hard drive.

Now, tax planning. Neglect your record-keeping and you’re asking for a real headache down the road. An easy way to keep track of receipts is to get a hanging file folder and 12 manila envelopes. Have one envelope for January, one for February and so on. During the month, throw all your receipts in the corresponding envelope. When the month is over, tally up your receipts and write it on the outside of the envelope. That way, when tax time comes, most of your work will already be done. Or again, use a simple Excel spreadsheet or just a spiral notebook to keep track of your expenses by category. Remember to track your income too!

Take some time each day to “take care of the little things” and you’ll stay organized, feel less stressed, and get more work done!

© 2007 Becki Maxson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Becki Maxson juggles a husband, three teenage sons, Boy Scouts, meals, laundry, volunteer stuff and home business in Rocklin, CA.

She is the founder of http://www.KingdomWork.com, an online resource for Christian home based business owners, and is a Marketing Mentor for Advantage Conferences.

This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and this resource box are included.

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