Tips & Articles

Whether you work in or out of the home, your office should be a place where you feel productive and where ideas can flow freely.   Here are some tips that will help make your work day more efficient and fruitful.

1. At the end of every day, make sure your desk is cleaned off.  There's nothing more discouraging than walking in to your office on Monday morning just to see the piles of stuff you didn't finish scattered everywhere. 
2. Keep pens, pencils (two or three) and a notepad near your phone so you can always take notes as you converse.  It's more professional than asking your client to hold on while you find a pen and paper. 
3. Make the files you use the most often the most easily accessible.  These may include ongoing projects, open invoices, client folders, etc.
4. Bye-bye sticky notes!  Make a daily "to do" list and a daily event calendar so you won't forget appointments.
5. Paint the room a light color and use some greenery to add life to the room. 
6. Make sure the desk you're working at has enough work space to accommodate your needs. 
7. Keep your work area well lit.
8. Keep a trash can, a recycling bin and a shredder nearby to quickly get rid of unneeded documents.
9. Keep all of your extra supplies in a supply closet or cabinet, not out in the open.
10. Organize the files on your computer so they're easier to find.
11. Make frequent back-ups of your computer files. 
12. Never eat at your desk.  Crumbs, spills, and spatters on important papers show nothing but sloppiness.