WOMEN WHO WORK FROM HOME UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ORGANIZED

In a new section on Only Hangers, we will feature experts speaking on home improvement, organization, hacks and everything in between. This month, we have Heidi Richards Mooney with us. A social media content strategist and a media influencer, she has authored several books, reports and articles. She shares some incredible tips for telecommuting women to stay organized.

Getting organized  is the key to Efficiency, Effectiveness and Economic Success

If you want both your business and your home life to flourish, it is important to get organized.. Taking some simple organizational steps can keep you from being swamped with work and overwhelmed with laundry in no time.

START SMALL

Organizing your home will help make your business more organized and vice-versa. However, don't try to get organized in a weekend or even several days. Work up to a level of organization. Start with one thing such as your desk. Everything you need should have a place. Donate or discard things you don't need. Do this in stages and sections. Once you organize a space, when it's out of place, it's easy to put it back in its home. Use bins, cabinets and shelves to help you stay more organized.

ESTABLISH BUSINESS HOURS

Setting up specific working times during each day has many benefits. First, you'll be more consistent with your work. Once you've gotten used to starting and stopping at a specific time each day you'll work more efficiently. You'll manage your work time better and reduce distractions like checking your e-mail or watching television. You'll also be less likely to pick up things to do here and there, like laundry or errands. Once you set working hours, you will schedule personal/household tasks at optimum times so you can be more focused during working hours.

ESTABLISH GROUND RULES WITH YOUR FAMILY

Tell your family and friends your work hours and your criteria for availability during those hours. You can create a sign for your office door that indicates you are working and when you are available. When I am deeply entrenched in work, I leave the door slightly ajar when my family is home. That is their sign not to disturb me until that door is fully open.

DELEGATE

It may seem easier to do everything yourself, but once you have work duties on top of household duties you'll realize how few hours in the day there actually are. There is nothing wrong with asking your children to fold the laundry, or having your spouse or life-partner cook dinner a few nights a week. By sharing the household duties as a family, you'll have more time to get your work done and feel less stressed. You will also end up with more quality time to spend with those you love because you won't be distracted by work you could not complete during your regular working hours.

LET GO

The important thing to remember when you delegate is that things won't be done the way that you would do them. Is it more important to you that they get done or that you do them. Once you can answer that question, you will be better equipped to let go of certain tasks so you can focus on those that are more important to your life and your livelihood..

SCHEDULE IT

Planning your work and family activities will make the whole house run smoother. If you don't have a daily planner, then you need to get one. It doesn't matter if it is a paper planner or an app. There are many apps available to help you better manage your day and time such as Google Calendar, GSuite, Doodle, Track My Life, CoSchedule, Zoho and more. Use a planner to schedule and track everything that needs to be done,. This will give you the opportunity to manage your time more wisely in and out of your home office.

When you work from home, getting organized takes time and effort. Work with your family to make your home run more efficiently, and then you'll be able to concentrate on your work when you need to.

About Author:

Heidi Richards Mooney has been working from home since 2008. She is a social media content strategist and provides full and half-day trainings to help companies and individuals leverage social media to get more done in less time and add to their bottom line. Learn more at We magazine for Women.

Image Source: GraphicStock