We are creatures of habit. We like to settle into our routines as this feels comfortable for us. We get used to doing something a certain way and never stop to think if there is a more efficient way to do it. We often use this same approach when it comes to our office systems. A system is an approach that we use to go about achieving our desired outcome in our work each day. You may not have thought much about it, but you have a system for each task that you perform each day. Below are some ways that you can improve a few of your office systems.
Filter your e-mail
We can spend countless hours each week checking our e-mail. One way to improve this system is to create filters. Set-up filters and folders so that certain e-mails go into specific folders. This way you can go directly to a folder to check your most important e-mails versus wading through all of your incoming e-mail to get to the pertinent ones.
Receive voicemails through your e-mail
Believe it or not, you’re probably spending quite a bit of time checking voicemails each week as well. A more efficient way to receive your voicemails is to have them come to you via an e-mail attachment. This way you can check your e-mail and voicemails simultaneously.
Create an electronic to-do list
Creating your to-do list via an online platform has a few benefits. You can share it with others on your team, you can attach files and you can add comments. Most of all, it’s housed in a central location for quick and easy access. I wrote an article about a great online to-do list tool.
Keep your notes electronically
It’s easy to grab the nearest piece of paper on your desk and jot down a note. However, unless you have a very neat desk it may take you a minute to find that note once you need to reference back to it. Searching for notes can eat up production time. A good way to improve this system is to begin using an electronic note system. You can create folders and organize your notes, thus enabling you to find what you’re looking for quickly.
We should strive to make our office time as productive as we can. Productivity can have a direct effect on our bottom line. As a business owner, it’s important that we strive to be as profitable as possible. So, take some time, at least annually, to review your office systems. You may find that there’s a more efficient way to do your daily office activities and this can have a positive effect on how you do business.
