Work at Home Organization Station

One of the first things any woman must learn as she starts an online or home business is how to stay organized. Without organization, tasks seem to get away from you, important documents get lost, and the future of the business is in jeopardy.

At Women on the Net we use a system called the “Organization Station”.

Basically this involves using a large three ring binder to organize both the business and home responsibilities and needs. This will keep you on track and increase the amount of work you get done in any given day. It also allows you to plan to balance those important family and home related needs into your day, allowing you to enjoy the flexibility of working at home.

Supplies:
• Three ring binder
• Dividers with pockets
• Free Printable Lists
• Calendar pages

Label your dividers with subjects relevant to your lifestyle. Mine has a divider for each of my websites, my freelance writing, my book writing, my local consultations, tax information and my home needs. I also have a section for important info that is helpful to have at your fingertips. Addresses and phone numbers of relatives and neighbors, passwords to accounts you use online, even the number for the local pizza delivery!

Use the pockets in the dividers to store important paperwork until it can be filed. Receipts, flyers or even a magazine ad you tore out.

In each business section I keep printouts to plan each day and weekly and monthly goal sheets.

In my tax section I keep a written log of my income and expenses. It’s easy to do if you get into the habit of writing each expense down as you pay for it, and each check or payment as you receive it. Then at the end of each week or month, I enter it into my Quickbooks program. I now have a computer copy and a hard copy, and I saved time.

My home section contains printed weekly menus, shopping lists and recipes. I also keep lists here of weekly and monthly decorating, repairing and gardening goals. You might want to include birthday party invitations, PTO Newsletters, or whatever fits your lifestyle.

In the front of the binder I have a master weekly calendar. Here I list all business goals for each day, appointments, family commitments, and personal time. Keeping all my commitments in one place helps me to balance work and family, and assures I never forget one or the other!

The most important part of each Organization Station is the very first page. This is a printout of your mission statement for your business, to remind yourself why you’re up at midnight finishing that business task because your six year old needed cupcakes made for class tomorrow! That business statement will be right where you see it everyday; never letting you forget the most important thing about starting your own business at home, or online. Don’t Give Up!

So start putting together your Organization Station today to get your business on track. You will be surprised at how much more productive you are. You also will find it easier to take yourself seriously as a business person if you have a schedule to adhere to.

Free printables for your Organization Station can be found at http://www.women-on-the-net.com/free_printables.html

Visit Kathy at www.Women-on-the-Net.com, Where ANY Woman Can Learn to Make Money on the Internet: Even if She’s Just Getting Her Surfing Feet Wet, and Using What She Already Knows and Loves! Also visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com and http://www.TheBudgetChef.com