As a small business owner, particularly one who works out of a home office, staying organized and keeping things simple can be quite a challenge. Between filing and paying invoices, managing receivables, handling customer service, and everything else that goes into running your business, it can be hard to keep things straight from one day to the next. The good news is there are several things you can do to get a handle on your schedule and get your business running like a well-oiled machine. Here are 5 easy ways to simplify your office.

Organize – Seems kind of obvious, but actually getting a busy home office organized can sometimes seem so overwhelming that we avoid it like the plague. Unfortunately, disorganization leads to mistakes that can cost your business money. Take the time to get your paperwork filed away, and begin ordering your tasks by importance so you are able to stay on top of things and don’t risk dropping the ball on anything critical.

Delegate – It can be really hard to let go of the reigns and let someone else handle tasks for your business, but if you have any hope of your company growing, it’s a necessary evil. Believe it or not, letting go of some of the day to day duties you’ve been worrying about can actually be incredibly uplifting. Not only does it help you simplify and organize your schedule, but it frees you up to focus on more important business matters, like increasing sales or launching that new product.

Go Paperless – Eliminating paperwork can be incredibly beneficial to your business. In fact, we just covered 5 compelling reasons to go paperless in a recent blog post. When you get rid of the clutter of paper files, you will be amazed at how uncluttered your mind will feel. Additionally, paperless billing can also increase the timeliness of your receivables, which means better cash-flow for your business.

Limit Meetings – In another recent post, we covered several ways to ensure that you are getting the most out of your business meetings. Meetings are notorious time-killers and can do a number on the productivity of yourself and your team members. Limit your meetings to only cover critical issues, and keep them short. Otherwise, they will be counterproductive and you may fail to accomplish what you set out to do in the first place.

Take a Break – When you own your own company, it’s easy to get so caught up in everything that you eat, sleep and breathe your business. It’s important to take a step back every once in a while, take a breather and enjoy a little time away. Spend time with your family, go shopping, go fishing or just take a day to do nothing but sleep in and watch TV. Mental health days are important to clear your head and help you get back on track, so make them a priority.

It can take some time and effort to actually simplify your home office and your business, but even if it seems counterproductive, the long term benefits are well worth it. When you simplify things, you are better able to refocus and reconnect with the things that are most important, so that you can continue to drive your business toward future success.