Organising your Day to Day Business Operations!

Bringing it all together started back in September when we redesigned the website. There are new features on it that have resulted in my having to learn lots of weird, operational, techie work in the back end of the site and blog.

Because I wasn’t necessarily working on the back end of things every day, I was finding that when I did have work to do, I couldn’t remember how to do it. I was revisiting my training notes all the time. This was irritating and it was taking far too long.

So I started creating checklists. I love a good checklist so I do! I love that you can just take it out, follow each step, know you’re doing it right and get the job done. It makes processes much quicker and involves no thought – all action!

So I had various checklists on the go for the website, blog and general IT work.

Then plans began to bring on some part time help with the business. And as I was planning for this, I realised the amount of the business that I would have to share and train them up on.

So I started compiling that too.

I wanted the Business Bible to be small. At the moment, I’m not including legal stuff, or website, financials, R & D, or any big business development categories. Those are in my filing cabinet.

The aim is that it’s a daily folder. A quick reference and practical ‘how-to’ to deal with the important day to day running of the OC HQ.

So the categories that are in there at the moment include:

Organised Chaos branding information
Social Media information
Checklists for the blog
Checklists for the website
Checklists for IT issues
Planning ahead and scheduling
Admin – including important phone numbers, labels etc.

For example, the branding information is very important and up first in the folder. Because it influences everything we do.

Or, under “Images” this category details how we create our images for everything – from the website, to the blog, and throughout our social media.

And so on. I’m not gonna delve it further, as it’s obviously confidential info. But it’s a personal choice as a business owner what’s going to go into the Bible. Just remember:

1. Quick reference
2. What do people need if I’m not here
3. How can I make my day-to-day running of my business quicker and easier

I’ve created this system with a few clients over the last few months.

Some of them like to add in their morning, evening and weekly office routines. These checklists include the handful of administrative tasks that every business owner needs to do on a daily or weekly basis in order to keep on top of things. They are the working “on” (not “in”) your business checklists.

The Business Bible will be a moveable, adaptable system influenced by the development of the business and the people using the folder.

I think they’re great and valuable system for every business.

Firstly, if you are a new business, keeping track of the processes you are building is important from the start. You probably don’t even realise that some of the work you’re doing is a “business process”. So become more aware of that! Document what you are doing every day. Make these daily tasks become more automatic by creating checklists around them and add to your Business Bible.

Whereas, if you are an established small business, you’re probably wearing ALL of the hats. You’re trying to get income in and build the business. So you’re working “in” your business all the time.

But in order to grow, you’ll have to work “on” your business and strategise. But how can you do that when all your time is taken up with the day to day work?

Creating a Business Bible helps you get your day to day more organised so that the admin side of your business becomes a quicker process. This gives you back time, which you can use to plan ahead.

And finally, this is HUGELY VALUABLE to your business – keep it safe & only with those you trust!

Happy Organising!