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One of the real secrets of business success is the ability to be well organised. Don’t be fooled by those that say it’s possible to achieve great things in business without being organised. The best leaders and those who leverage the effects of others to best effect are those who are best organised. So here are some top tips to ensure that you are organised to maximize the effect you have in business.

• Separate tasks by importance and timescale. Those tasks which are both important and urgent should always be done first and before those tasks which are simply important or simply urgent.
• Use your diary to schedule tasks as well as meetings. Most people just use a diary for meetings but the best use it to also schedule those urgent and important tasks and ensure that they get done.
• Set clear goals. Without these, how will you know when you have succeeded? The goals should be clear, unambiguous and visible. Take a moment each day to reinforce the goals you have and also to make sure that each task you complete moves you closer to achieving at least one goal. If you take an action that does not move you closer to achieving a goal then ask yourself why you took such action. It’s probable that you have wasted effort.
• Schedule quiet time. Depending on when you perform your best work, early or late in the day, and ensure that you are in the office before or after most people. This is quiet time which makes it the most valuable time to do important work. There are likely to be no interruptions, phones ringing or emergencies that demand your attention. Use this time wisely.

If you follow the above four points consistently and regularly then you find that you have more time which in turn will mean more opportunity to make a difference to your business.