Organization

can be an overwhelming concept for some, so we hope this post helps you to apply light and simple organization practices around the admin-type work you have to do, in any position you find yourself in (entrepreneur, freelancer, employee, contractor, etc.) Take a deep breath, we’re big believers in simply starting with what you already have. Here are eight small and simple organization tips to get you started. Whether you try out one or all of them – implementing these will, at minimum, help you discover how you can continue building a system that works for you.

• Utilize labels in Gmail. Create labels around your central tasks, priorities, and deliverables. (admin, writing projects, fellowship applications, action items, follow-up, etc)

• Keep track of all of your appointments, meetings, dates, etc in ONE specific place. Doesn’t matter if you use your phone, a notebook, a coloring book (that would be fun, huh?) just pick one place and keep it all there. Every time you need to refer to your calendar, you’ll know where to look instead of saying yes to something and then trying to figure out how to move it back when that day comes. 

• In theme with the last point, if you love collecting notebooks, try using multiple notebooks for different purposes. This makes it easier to find what you need to find when the time comes. A tip we picked up from Lisa Beasley. (Which is also inspiring us to start our own line of notebooks – let us know here if you’d be down for that!)

• Set specific timeframes for taking on meetings and calls. If you’re always in meetings or always talking, when are you getting the work done? Having these days and times on hand will allow you to manage your energy and your availability. If you know that you only have time to talk or chat or host discovery calls or whatever on Tuesday and Thursday evenings after 7, this will help you stay on top of your output.

• In regards to scheduling, limit the amount of meetings and calls you take in a week. This tip helps you stay focused on your priorities. If you’re focused on getting to the money, those coffee, lunch dates, and future/potential client calls will have to wait.

• Stop saying yes to everything. Can’t stay in control of your time if you’re always on running on somebody else’s. 

• Set up an accountability check-in with someone you trust. Whether that happens on a weekly or monthly basis, if you have tasks and projects you need to stay on top of, sharing that with a trusted friend and allowing them to how you responsible for getting things done, is a great way to stay afloat. 

• Set alarms (with labels) in your phone to keep you on task. If you set an alarm for every day at 2:30pm to go back and review your list for the day, this will help remind you to do so. It’s a tip we picked up from Author and Entrepreneur Justin Key. 

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