What does organizing your business even mean?
When everything is organized and streamlined, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to stay on top of things in your business.
In this post, I’m going to show you how to organize your online business, whether you’re brand new or you’ve been running things for years.
Either keep reading or watch the video below:
If you've been feeling completely overwhelmed by all the moving parts of your online business...Maybe your projects are piling up, deadlines are slipping through the cracks, and your to-do list just keeps growing...You know you should get organized, but you don’t even know where to start, then you're in the right place.
I get it because I’ve been there. When I first started my business, my workflow was, well…non-existent. I was juggling tasks on random sticky notes, digging through endless email threads to find what I needed, and feeling like I was always one step behind. Honestly, it felt impossible to keep up.
But here’s the good news: it is possible to get organized, even if your business feels like a hot mess right now.
Fast forward a few years, and I’ve built simple, sustainable systems that keep my business running like a well-oiled machine—and I want to help you do the same.
Today, we’re diving into the process of organizing your online business. I’m going to walk you through practical strategies to create a clear, manageable workflow that will help you stay on top of projects, hit your deadlines, and free up your time to focus on what really matters.
Whether you’re someone who’s just starting out and wants to get things right from the beginning, or you’ve been running your business for a while and are ready to streamline your processes, this post is for you. Let’s jump in!
Why Organization Matters
So, why does organizing your online business even matter?
When your business is disorganized, it’s not just frustrating—it’s costly. You waste time searching for files, miss important deadlines, and constantly feel like you’re playing catch-up.
This lack of structure makes it nearly impossible to scale your business, and instead of focusing on growth and serving your clients, you’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of putting out fires.
On the other hand, when everything is organized and in its place, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to stay on top of things.
You can reclaim time that was once wasted, reduce unnecessary stress, and build a solid foundation that supports your long-term goals.
Organization doesn’t just make your life easier; it makes your business more efficient, professional, and profitable.
Here’s an example from my own experience. When I first started, I thought I was being super productive by jotting down ideas and tasks on sticky notes. My desk was covered with them—bright little reminders of things I needed to do. At first, it felt like I was on top of everything, but the reality was very different. I’d lose track of them, misplace important notes, or worse, completely forget about tasks altogether. It was chaotic, and I was constantly stressed.
Fast forward to now, and I’ve created a central hub where I keep everything organized—ideas, tasks, projects, deadlines—you name it. This hub has been a complete game-changer. I no longer waste time hunting for information, and I’m able to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines with ease.
Having a clear, structured system has not only saved me hours every week but has also given me peace of mind knowing that nothing is slipping through the cracks.
And here’s the thing: organization looks different for everyone. For some, it might be digital tools like Asana, while others might prefer physical planners or a combination of both. The key is finding a system that works for you and sticking to it consistently.
Start with a Central Hub
One of the first and most important steps to organizing your online business is setting up a central hub.
This is your go-to place where everything lives—tasks, ideas, projects, deadlines. For me, that hub is Asana. The key is to have one central location where you can track and manage everything.
Let’s take a common example I've seen with clients: you’re planning a new product launch. Without a central hub, you might have your ideas scattered everywhere—some in a notebook, some in your email inbox, and maybe a few in random Google Docs. Sound familiar?
The problem with this approach is that it’s easy to lose track of tasks, miss deadlines, or forget key details.
Now, imagine instead that you have a central hub. You create a project in Asana specifically for your product launch. Inside that project, you break everything down into smaller, manageable tasks. For example, you might have sections for research, content creation, marketing, and outreach.
Each task gets a deadline, and if you’re working with a team, you can even assign tasks to specific team members. Suddenly, what felt overwhelming now feels doable, because you can see everything clearly in one place. And you can even template this workflow you've created to reuse and save a ton of time on your next launch.
When I first started using Asana, I kept it simple. I used it just for planning my content and mapping out ideas. Over time, though, it evolved into something much bigger.
Now, I use it for everything: managing client projects, collaborating with my team, tracking leads, and even organizing personal goals and family plans.
That’s the beauty of a central hub—it grows with you. It starts small, but as your business grows, it becomes the backbone of how you operate.
One of the biggest benefits of having a central hub is that it reduces decision fatigue. Instead of spending mental energy trying to figure out where you wrote that idea or what your next priority is, you already know. Everything is right there, organized and ready for action. It also helps you be more consistent.
When you have a clear system in place, you’re less likely to drop the ball or procrastinate because you know exactly what needs to be done and when.
If you’re not already using a central hub, I encourage you to start now. You don’t need to overcomplicate it. Start simple. Create one project for your current goals or tasks and build from there.
You’ll be amazed at how much clarity and control this one change can bring to your business.
Organize Your Digital Files
Another area that often gets neglected—but can make a world of difference—is digital file organization.
Let’s be honest, how many of us have a downloads folder that’s an absolute disaster?
I know mine used to be, with random files everywhere and no clue where anything was. But once I took the time to get my digital files in order, it was a complete game-changer.
Taking the time to create a clear and logical folder structure for your business can save you countless hours of frustration.
No more frantically searching for that one file five minutes before a client call. Instead, everything has its place, and you’ll know exactly where to find it when you need it.
Here’s how I recommend setting it up:
Start with main categories
Create main folders for the big areas of your business. For example, you might have folders like "Marketing," "Client Work," "Finance," and "Operations." Think of these as the overarching sections of your business.
Break it down into subfolders
Inside each main folder, create subfolders for more specific areas. For instance, under "Marketing," you could have folders for "Social Media," "Email Campaigns," "Brand Assets," and "Blog Content." Under "Client Work," you might organize by client name or project.
Use consistent naming conventions
This is key for keeping everything clear and searchable. For example, instead of naming a file something vague like "strategy(1).pdf," try something like "2024-SocialMedia-Strategy.pdf." You can even add dates or project details to make files even easier to identify at a glance.
Declutter regularly
Digital files pile up quickly, so it’s a good idea to schedule regular clean-ups.
Once a quarter, go through your folders, delete what you no longer need, and reorganize anything that’s out of place. Treat it like spring cleaning for your computer.
Here’s a quick example of how this works in practice:
Let’s say you’re working on a new email campaign. In your "Marketing" folder, you’d go to the "Email Campaigns" subfolder, where you’ve already created a new folder labeled "2024-Valentine's-Day-Promo."
Inside, you store everything related to that campaign—copy drafts, graphics, performance reports, and any related assets. When it’s time to review or update the campaign, you know exactly where to look.
I’ll be honest—getting my files organized was not the most exciting task, but the benefits have been incredible. I used to waste so much time digging through random folders and searching for files.
Now, I can find what I need in seconds. Whether it’s a client contract, a piece of content, or a financial report, it’s all right where it should be.
And a tip for you if you are using Asana, you can also store files right in Asana - even right within your task or project. This really keeps everything organized and in one centralized place.
That's what I do and I've helped my clients do and it has made such a huge difference.
If your digital files feel overwhelming right now, don’t stress. Start small. Choose one category—like "Marketing" or "Client Work"—and focus on organizing just that section. Once you see the difference, you’ll be motivated to tackle the rest.
Stay on Top of Emails
Let’s talk about email—one of the biggest productivity hurdles for so many business owners.
Emails can quickly spiral out of control, leaving you with an overflowing inbox and no idea where to start.
I’ve been there, too, staring at hundreds (okay, thousands) of unread messages and feeling completely overwhelmed. But once I put a system in place, managing my inbox became so much easier, and I actually look forward to checking emails now.
Here’s a simple approach to take your inbox from chaos to calm:
Start with a clean slate
Before diving into systems, take a moment to clear out the clutter.
Dedicate an hour to sorting through your inbox. Archive or delete emails you don’t need, respond to anything urgent, and flag anything that requires action.
The goal isn’t to perfect it in one go, but to create a baseline for organization moving forward.
Unsubscribe from clutter
Newsletters and promotions can pile up quickly, especially if you’ve signed up for freebies or discounts over the years.
Take 10 minutes to go through your inbox and unsubscribe from anything you no longer find valuable.
You can also use tools like Unroll.Me to speed up the process. Trust me, this small step makes a massive difference in reducing the daily email noise.
Create folders and labels
Think of folders and labels as the digital filing cabinets for your inbox.
Set up categories that make sense for your business. For example:
Clients
Invoices
Follow-Ups
Marketing
Personal
You can even create subfolders for recurring projects or specific clients to keep things even more organized.
Once these folders are in place, move emails into their respective folders regularly, or better yet, automate the process with rules.
Set up rules and filters
Automation is super helpful for email management.
Most email providers allow you to set up rules or filters to automatically sort incoming emails. For example:
Move all invoices to your "Invoices" folder as soon as they arrive.
Send promotional emails straight to a "Promotions" folder to review later.
Flag emails from specific clients for immediate attention.
This way, you don’t have to manually sort through every email, and important messages won’t get buried in your inbox.
Adopt a daily routine
The key to staying on top of emails is consistency.
Set aside dedicated times each day to check and process your inbox. For example, you might check emails first thing in the morning, after lunch, and before wrapping up your workday.
During these dedicated times, you can:
Respond to urgent messages.
Move non-urgent emails to the appropriate folder.
Delete anything you don’t need.
Unsubscribe from anything you don't want to receive again.
BUT! Avoid keeping your email tab open all day—it can be a major distraction.
Here’s how this system transformed my client's inbox:
She used to let emails pile up, convincing herself she’d "get to them later." But later often turned into days (or weeks), and important messages would slip through the cracks. Once she started using folders, rules, and a daily routine, she finally achieved inbox zero.
It’s not just about having an empty inbox; it’s about peace of mind, knowing everything is handled or organized.
If your inbox feels overwhelming right now, don’t stress. Start small. Unsubscribe from a few emails today or create one folder for a recurring category like invoices or clients. Little by little, you’ll see progress, and the benefits are so worth it.
Create Repeatable Processes
Let’s talk about processes—one of the most powerful ways to bring order and efficiency into your business.
Processes are the backbone of an organized business because they eliminate guesswork, save you time, and ensure consistency.
Whether you’re onboarding a new client, publishing a blog post, or running an email campaign, having repeatable processes means you can focus on the big picture instead of getting bogged down in the details.
So, what exactly is a process? It’s simply a set of steps you follow to complete a task.
Think of it as a recipe for your business. If you follow the steps in the right order, you’ll get the same great result every time. And the best part? Once you document your processes, you can hand them off to someone else—freeing up even more of your time.
Start by Identifying Your Core Tasks
To create repeatable processes, start by listing out the tasks you do regularly. These are the areas where processes will have the biggest impact. For example:
Onboarding new clients
Publishing blog posts or videos
Managing social media content
Sending invoices or proposals
Hosting webinars or events
Take a moment to think about which tasks often feel chaotic or time-consuming. Those are prime candidates for creating processes.
Document Your Steps
Once you’ve identified a task, break it down into simple, actionable steps.
The goal is to create a checklist or SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) that anyone can follow. For example, a client onboarding process might have the following steps:
Send a welcome email with a link to the onboarding form.
Share the contract and invoice for signature and payment.
Schedule the kickoff call.
Create the client’s folder in your project management tool.
Set up the project timeline and share it with the client.
If your client onboarding is all over the place, this will be really beneficial to you. Maybe you're sending documents via email, manually tracking deadlines, and constantly worrying about missing something.
With a streamlined workflow in Asana to guide you step by step, everything will be automated and organized, and your clients will love how seamless the process feels.
Use Tools to Streamline Your Processes
You don’t have to rely on pen and paper for your processes—there are so many tools available to make them even more efficient. For instance:
Project Management Tools like Asana are great for tracking workflows and assigning tasks.
You can create templates for emails, proposals, or contracts to save time.
Use tools like Zapier or Make to connect apps and automate repetitive tasks, like sending confirmation emails or setting up folders.
For example, let’s say you’re publishing a blog post. Instead of starting from scratch every time, you can use a template in your project management tool with pre-assigned tasks like drafting, editing, creating graphics, and scheduling the post.
Review and Improve Your Processes
Your processes don’t have to be perfect right away—they’re meant to evolve as your business grows. Regularly review them to see what’s working and what could be improved.
For example, if a step in your workflow is consistently delayed, you might need to adjust the timeline or add an extra reminder.
The Benefits of Repeatable Processes
The beauty of having documented processes is that they don’t just save you time—they also improve the quality of your work.
By following a consistent system, you ensure that nothing falls through the cracks, and every client or project gets the same high level of attention. Plus, if you decide to outsource or hire a team, your processes will make it so much easier to onboard and train them.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by where to start, pick just one task and create a basic checklist for it.
It doesn’t have to be perfect—it just needs to work for you. Over time, as you add more processes, you’ll notice how much smoother your business runs.
If you’re ready to take your organization to the next level, check out my Asana Essentials toolkit I created to walk you through organizing and streamlining your work in Asana with my simple but powerful templates. These templates have been tested and proven over years in my business and in my clients' businesses as well. Click here to learn more and get started. The link is also in the description.
Keep It Simple and Stay Consistent
Remember that organization doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s not about creating a flawless, Pinterest-worthy system—it’s about finding what works for you and sticking with it. The goal is progress, not perfection.
When I first started organizing my business, I definitely wasn’t perfect. I didn't really know what to do with Asana and my projects were a little messy at the beginning, my files weren’t always in the right folders, and my “systems” didn't really exist and were just a work-in-progress.
And you know what? That’s okay. Over time, I experimented, adjusted, and found systems that felt natural and easy to maintain.
Start Small and Build Momentum
One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to get organized is doing too much at once.
If you overhaul every part of your business in one day, you’ll probably feel overwhelmed and burn out before you can stick with it. Instead, start small.
Pick one area that’s causing you the most stress—maybe it’s your email inbox, your task management, or your digital files. Focus on improving just that one thing. Once you’ve got that under control, move on to the next area. For example, when I first started using Asana, I only used it for planning my weekly content.
Once I got comfortable with it, I started adding in more projects—like client work, team collaboration, and even personal goals. By starting small, I gave myself the time to build a habit and adapt to the tool without feeling overwhelmed.
Keep Your Systems Simple
Another key to staying consistent is simplicity.
The more complicated your systems are, the harder they’ll be to maintain. For instance:
If you’re using a project management tool, don’t create 50 different boards or categories—stick to a few that cover your main needs.
If you’re organizing files, create a folder structure that’s intuitive and easy to navigate.
For email organization, don’t set up 20 labels or rules; start with a handful that tackle your biggest pain points.
Simplicity is your best friend when it comes to staying organized.
Build Consistency Through Habits
Staying consistent with your organization doesn’t mean spending hours every day cleaning things up. It’s about building small habits that keep things running smoothly.
Here are a few simple habits that can make a big difference:
Set aside 5–10 minutes at the end of each day to tidy up your workspace—both physical and digital.
Do a quick inbox check-in every morning or afternoon to keep emails from piling up.
Schedule a monthly “systems check” to review and update your processes, tools, or files as needed.
These habits don’t take much time, but over weeks and months, they add up to a more organized and stress-free business.
Progress Over Perfection
If you ever feel like your systems aren’t “perfect,” remind yourself that perfection isn’t the goal. Even the most organized person doesn’t have everything figured out all the time. What really matters is the progress you’re making and the consistency you’re building.
Think of organization as a long-term investment. Each small improvement you make adds up to big results over time. Maybe today you clean out your email inbox, and next week you create a workflow for content creation.
Over time, these little steps lead to a business that feels less chaotic and more manageable.
A Quick Challenge
If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, here’s a simple challenge to get started: pick one small area of your business to organize this week. Maybe it’s creating a central hub for tasks, cleaning up your desktop, or unsubscribing from emails you no longer read.
Whatever it is, commit to just one change, and see how it feels.
