As a professional organizer, I primarily work in homes and small
businesses. I help people emotionally
detach from their things. But during the
sorting and purging process, I am also discussing how we can improve the
work flow and make life easier. Organizing
and productivity go hand in hand. So I
wanted to share some ways you can be more productive at home and the office,
specifically through automation.
automation
noun au·to·ma·tion \ˌȯ-tə-ˈmā-shən\
: automatically controlled operation
of an apparatus, process, or system
by mechanical or electronic devices that
take the place of human labor
First figure out what routine or mundane tasks bother you. Is there a better way to do it? Or is there a way to remind you to do
it? This can help those with procrastination
too.
Wardrobe: Is there a uniform (same top/bottom) you can
wear to work? How about all those
orphaned socks from the laundry? Purchase
the same type of socks in a couple of colors.
It will make your morning routine run more smoothly. And sorting your laundry will be a breeze.
Food: Cook from
the same rotating recipes. Cook in big
batches. Or look into delivery services
like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron.
Cleaning: The last thing we want to do is spend the
entire weekend cleaning. Set up a
schedule so you hit every area of the house.
Laundry on Sundays; bathrooms on Mondays etc. Or, hire a house cleaner!
Shopping: Amazon’s
Subscribe & Save sets up frequently used items and automatically ships them
at the interval you set up. And you get those
items at a discounted rate. And many of
our grocery stores have a delivery service, like Giant’s Peapod.
Scheduling: Use your smart phone to schedule routine
things like testing your smoke detectors.
Or reminders to pay your estimated quarterly taxes.
Unroll.me: Cut down on those pesky emails and use this
service to one-click unsubscribe.
Social
Media: Create all your content
then set up a time for it to post (Facebook has its own scheduler built in).
Admin: Then there are always those administrative functions
within your job that you have to do.
Consider hiring a VA (Virtual Assistant) to handle your social
media posts, communications to clients, spreadsheets, bookkeeping or other
projects.
Email
Marketing: Mailchimp is now offering
marketing automation to all subscribers (paid or not). This enables you to create a custom communication
with your clients/leads then automatically sends it based on the type of action. Examples: Send a thank you message after
someone buys from your website, or a welcome note after they sign up for your
e-newsletter. Send out a note after an
event. Or send out a birthday card to
your customers.
CRM: (customer relationship management) Helps to
manage your business relationships and the process/tasks involved. Stay in touch with your clients and keep
track of your leads through the sales funnel.
It’s really important for you to know what you need your CRM to do for
you, so you pair up with the right one.
PC Magazine posted the Best CRM’s for 2017.
In summary, first examine if there is a better way to do something. When it comes to using technology, do your
homework. Make sure it’s the right fit. Investing your time and money in some of
these systems are cheaper than you think.
Note: RLN Organizing does not receive any
compensation for any of the products/services mentioned above.
