Have you ever sat staring at your monitor wondering what to do next? After deciding that you want to own your own business, you did some research to find just the right product to sell. You developed a comprehensive business plan, built a killer web site and put your plan into action.Then problems start to crop up. Every day it’s something new. An appointment with your banker, a meeting with your accountant or an important conference call with your sales team comes up and an agenda item is accidently omitted. Before you know it things are constantly slipping through the cracks.

How do you ever keep up with everything? Learn to use a couple of simple, but highly effective tools. A Spiral Note Pad and a Legal Pad are probably two of the most valuable assets your business will ever have.

To be productive in business, I need to spend my time wisely. I need to know what things need doing and some idea of what is important and what can wait until later. A valuable tool for dealing with this is a To Do List. It helps me keep track of every task, big or small that needs to be dealt with. Not o­nly will I get my work done in a timely fashion, but all of the little things wont pile up until the business runs me instead of me running the business.I begin by listing all of the things that must be accomplished during the day. The list can be quite long and detailed at first, but shortens up fairly quickly. I include everything from paying individual bills, ordering inventory, and setting employee schedules to little things like going to the barber, or making the daily bank deposit.

This list is kept in a pocket sized spiral note book. once a task is accomplished, I simply cross it off of my list. If I didn’t have time to get something done, I simply place it o­n the next day’s list. Recurring items like the bank deposit get listed every day. I never want to forget something as important as taking care of my company’s money. By using this To Do List, I have a much better chance of completing every task, no matter how trivial or important.

Another valuable item that I use o­n a daily basis is a Legal Pad. You would be surprised at the number of people who overlook this vital tool and how to use it properly. My legal pad sits next to the telephone or o­n my counter. If I get an important call or a letter telling me that something needs my attention, I write it o­n the legal pad along with the date and time. I then draw a line under the item so I can distinguish it from the next item that comes up. When I have successfully dealt with an item, I draw a line through it and enter the completion time and date. In this way I can keep track of deadlines and important tasks.

Never tear a page out of a legal pad! It is an important record of your business activities. Not o­nly will it help you to stay o­n track but can be used to prove that you did something if you are ever questioned. For instance, if a supplier says that they never got your order, you will be able to refer to your legal pad to recall not o­nly times and dates, but also important information such as the name of the person you talked to when ordered.The To Do List and the Legal Pad are two of the most powerful tools that you can have in your business arsenal. Learn to use them properly and your business will run more smoothly. They may be low tech tools, but they can have a huge impact o­n your bottom line.