Organizing Your Day

One of the hardest things for most individuals working from home is to stay focused. One of the best ways to stay focused is organization. In addition, being organized will help your time management skills. The two are very much intertwined.

Planning out your day is very important. What you will do in the morning, afternoon/and or evening, depending on what hours you work is paramount.

Have a trigger that starts your day. For example, my trigger is I finish my morning walk. Once this is done, I make a cup of Java and to the office I go.

Once in the office, the computer goes on, along with the auxiliary equipment. I check my tickle file, my calendar for the day, and pull my To-Do file.

While I am looking at these items my mail program is working to check e-mail. I delete the junk and deal with the additional mail by answering it, or placing it in a folder to deal with later.

At this point depending on your business you should start dealing with the items in your tickle file and To Do List.

For those of you just starting to run a lease purchase business you should be doing the following:

Check your goals Check your calendar and tickler file Check your e-mail and answer If you need to, go through your newspapers and your other lists for sellers to call. Otherwise, do your call backs and set up appointments if appropriate Start calling - 1/2 hour from each list Send out follow-up information Enter calls in database Read in your area, both on and off line Visit on-line groups that relate to business Check e-mail and respond Do your To Do list for next day Add appointments to calendar

For those of you in the lease purchase business be sure to check your Step By Step the First Month in your manual. Remember it outlines what you need to do the first month. The above list will vary for you, if you need to drive neighborhoods, meet with sellers and/or tenant buyers, put up flyers, or speak at meetings.

For those of you running a business other than lease purchasing you can do many of the same things as those running a lease purchase business. The basics are still the same, it is just you are working them in another area. If you would like learn how to set up and operate a successful home based business, check out our Complete Home Based Business Manual at:
http://www.homebusinesssolutions.c om/products/hbmanual.htm

So, be sure you have a To Do List, a tickler file and a calendar. Have a trigger that starts your day. Put all you do on your calendar, and add in time for mishaps. If they don't occur, you'll have extra time. Split up your day to do your calling, letter writing, follow-up e-mails, mailings, meetings, and any additional things that occur for your particular business. Having a plan when to do what, and scheduling things when you feel more comfortable dealing with them, in effect, the best time for you to do them, will go a long way in making for a smoother work day.

And remember to utilize that wasted time. For instance, while mail is coming down or you are printing something take care of something else. For example if you are printing a large document, or e-mailing a long document, get your filing done, read a short article, put dates on your calendar. Make a quick phone call, check supplies, you get the idea. By managing your time better it will allow you to get it all done.

Have you ever wondered how some people work two jobs, do volunteer work, and take care of their home and children? I do, they know how to manage their time.

Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2001

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com

In The News:

---

How to Prevent Piles of Paper!

If you have piles of paper all over your desk,... Read More

Relieve Vacation Stress By Planning Ahead

Cindy looks at the calendar and sighs. Ah, the end... Read More

Tossing and Turning

"The real question is, why do you want it? What... Read More

Letting Go of Clutter In Your Office

Some people would say I'm the last person in the... Read More

Get Organised Before Its Too Late

Last year I attended a presentation from Parenting Expert and... Read More

Finish in Style - Organizing Works!

One of my mother-in-law's many oft-quoted and wise declarations was... Read More

Five Simple Tips to Get Organized Today!

Take time to declutter this summer...Writing can certainly consume the... Read More

9 Simple Strategies for Home Organization

Home organization means being able to find your stuff when... Read More

5 Easy Tips on Light that You Can Use to Improve Your Day

Light, Work, and YouWinter is here-and with it, short days,... Read More

Four Tips For Clearing The Clutter

Spring?. Fresh breezes through open windows, sleeping trees come awake... Read More

Too Many Unfinished Projects? 7 Time Management Strategies to Move Stalled Projects to Finish Line

Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More

Control Your Childrens Clutter!!

Ever feel overwhelmed by all the papers, notices, artwork, and... Read More

Declutter for Sucess

Finish each day and be done with it. You have... Read More

7 Little Things That You Can Do to Organize the Kids Rooms

1. Sink to their level. Get on your knees in... Read More

Give Up Control to Get Control

For some reason, Americans think they have something to prove... Read More

What Momma Never Told Me About Housekeeping

A lot of us grew up with Mom taking care... Read More

Clutter Campaign - Select Your Tools

Have nothing in your houses that you do not know... Read More

Spruce Your Environment, Spruce Your Spirit

After a long winter, this is the time of year... Read More

Spring Cleaning: Mission Garage Organization

Spring is here and the garage door is open. This... Read More

Improve Your Workplace to Make Your Life Better

What does "quality of life" mean to you? If you... Read More

Files vs Piles

I recently read an article that had some interesting but... Read More

Common Clutter Culprits- How to Bust Through Clutter

Paper1. You may already be in the habit of filing... Read More

Getting Organized - Getting Fit

In a speech entitled "Organized Living in a Disorganized World"... Read More

Ten Signs That Your Life Is Cluttered

How do you know if you need to clean out?... Read More

Life Lessons - Get What You Want; A Lesson from a Green Sea Turtle!

Sometimes major life lessons come from the most unlikely of... Read More

The Most Frequently Asked Questions about Organizing Your Kids Rooms

1. In terms of organization, what is the first thing... Read More

1-2-3 Sort

Article excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space... Read More

50 Ideas to Organize Your Home

"Organize" is a familiar word heard on many of today's... Read More

Clutter Campaign - Maintain Your Success

To want in one's heart to do a thing for... Read More

Identifying the Rocks: Organizing Your Priorities

In one of my favorite books, First Things First, written... Read More

Words That Inspire - SIMPLIFY

What do you gain if you SIMPLIFY?Dictionary* says:to reduce to... Read More

Clutter Control

Remember when you charged into the office that first day,... Read More

Getting Organized for Achievement

Getting and staying organized is critical to achieving your goals.... Read More