3 easy tips on how to be more productive through organization

Being organized as a Shopify store owner is crucial to productivity and success. As the owner of a small business, you often have to wear several hats at once – you’re both the art director and the accountant, the customer service rep and the social media manager. That’s a lot of responsibility for one person! Time is also of the essence – there is a limited amount of it. You need to make sure you make the most of it and get your priorities in order. 

Posted 3 years ago by Tatiana Dudin

But how exactly do you do that? What does being ‘organized’ really mean? It’s more than just having your files perfectly sorted and a clean inbox (although those are important too!).

Organization is something that extends beyond your business and into your personal life – they are interconnected and what you do in one affects the other. Being organized both privately and professionally will have a positive effect on your business!

Today we bring you 3 tips on how to stay organized to increase productivity.

1. Time Management

Time is one of your most precious resources as a business owner. Knowing how to manage it well will create a better balance between your personal and professional lives. For small business owners, their personal lives often suffer at the expense of having a successful business. But managing your time effectively can free up those precious hours you can spend on yourself, whether it’s with your family, your hobbies or ‘me time’. 

Factor in daily, weekly, monthly and yearly tasks. For example, answering customer emails and social media messages should be a daily occurrence. Depending on the size of your business, you may need to set aside an hour or more a day to do this.

Taxes, on the other hand, are done yearly and in the United States, tax season typically starts January 1st and ends April 15th. The complexity of your business and the products you sell will determine factors in the right amount of time it will take you to file.

Time blocking is an excellent way of and planning out your day. Simply schedule a block of time per task, and divide your entire day like this. This will guard against distractions and keep you on course. 

To focus, try the Pomodoro Technique. This is a method where you work in 25-minute intervals, after which you take a 5-minute break. You will be notified by an alarm at the end of each work/break period. I can personally testify this is a wonderful technique – in fact, I was using it to write this very article!

Tip: Schedule tasks according to your energy levels. Most of us are the most alert and energetic in the mornings, so tackle the hardest tasks first!

2. Routine and Ritual

As a Shopify store owner, no two days are alike. Having a morning ritual at the same time every working day will prepare you for productivity no matter what lies ahead. Your mind will eventually begin reacting to your morning routine as the beginning of time to focus on work. This will eliminate distractions that can steal your time.

It can be as simple as making your bed, having a coffee and reading the news. But if you do it every day before starting your workday, it will become part of your regime and keep you on the productivity track.

Remember that on average, it takes more than 2 months before a new behavior becomes automatic so whatever your routine is, make sure to keep it up for at least that long!

Set an intention for the day and take a few moments to think and visualize what you want to get done – this will calm your mind and remove distracting thoughts.

Have a to-do list ready from the night before. This will remove the need to think of what you need to do that day so you can dive straight into your work. 

Tip: Ask yourself “What do I need to do today for the day to be a success?” Set three things to accomplish.

3. Purge Regularly

Whether your working environment is your home, an office or a room in a warehouse, how clean your desk and computer desktop are will affect your productivity. So once in a while, don’t forget to throw away old papers, delete old files and keep only what is necessary.

Creating space in your physical and digital workspaces will also create space in your mind to be both creative and productive. 

Consider dedicating 30 minutes each week (Don’t forget to time block it!) to the general tidying of your desk and digital files. This way, you can avoid turning it into a long and arduous project that you delay because it seems daunting.

Tip: Thousands of unread emails make it easy to miss an important business or customer communication. Unsubscribe from junk mail and go through your mailbox each day.

Get Organized!

Increased productivity is a benefit for your business. You can get more done, have more efficient time management, and strike that perfect balance between your personal and professional lives. Try the above organizational tips and see where being orderly gets you.

Check out our task catalog to see if any of our small tasks could give your business a boost. Go forth and organize!