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Hey mamas! McKinzie here. Today Gabrielle is going to share how she uses Google Drive to keep her life and business organized. I know I could always be a bit more organized, so I am excited to check out her tips. If you enjoy this post comment below and let her know!
Let’s face it, life as a mompreneur can be hectic! It requires a keen sense of knowing how to balance whatever is thrown at us. Learning how to manage this sort of life can be difficult, but luckily we live in a time where a wide variety of organizational tools are available to us.
I don’t know about you, but I favor tools that can be accessed anywhere at any time, and in my opinion, one of the best systems for that is Google Drive.
With Google Drive, you can organize almost anything you could ever imagine. Lists, spreadsheets, checklists, PDFs, photos, slideshows, webinars and more can all be housed in one database that can literally be accessed anywhere both online and without the internet. Who could ask for more?
Creating an organizational system from scratch can be challenging, especially with everything that comes up on an average day, but with these simple tips you’ll be on your way to a simpler life and business using Google Drive:
Table of Contents
1. Keep Separate Folders For Business & Personal Matters
While it may be hard to literally separate life from business this is the first distinction you should make with your organizational system. My Google Drive homepage is set up so that I only see two folders; one for business and one for personal matters. This keeps things simple from the get-go and there is no guessing game as to where something might be when I need to access it.
My business folder contains all information that’s essential to keeping my operations afloat such as client-related documents and prospecting spreadsheets. I also use this folder to house all of ideas and inspiration! I specifically love to use Google Slides to map out my potential program offerings.
In the personal matters folder, I keep spreadsheets and documents that relate strictly to my personal life such as my cleaning routine checklist, password spreadsheet, and my monthly budget.
It is a good idea to create a written list to determine what types of things you would want to house in each folder and to think about what makes sense for you and your life.
2. Stay On The Same Page With Shareable Client Folders
The most important folder in my Google Drive database is my “Clients” folder, which is something I suggest having if you run a service-based business. You can easily switch out the name of this folder using the label “Customers,” “Advertisers” or “Sponsors” depending on what type of business you operate. The reason I deem this folder the most crucial to my business is because it allows me to keep everything between my clients and I super organized. Plus, Google Drive allows you to share everything with your clients which can be extremely convenient.
Within my “Clients” folder I maintain an individual shareable folder with each of my active clients. I hold a copy of each client contract, a Google spreadsheet that’s used as a timesheet, and whatever else my clients and I share with each other.
This is a great way to ensure nothing gets forgotten or lost! And, if you have paper documents that pertain to your business you can easily take a photo of them or scan them and add them to your Google Drive. This way you’ll have access to them all the time from anywhere.
3. Access Your Passwords From Anywhere With Google Spreadsheets
If you’re anything like me, constantly dealing with a case of the “Mommy brain” you know how difficult it can be to remember things like account passwords. Stop trying to house little details in your mind and organize those things!
My favorite and most effective way of keeping passwords handy is by creating a Google Spreadsheet to record them all on. It may not be the most secure document in the world, but you can access it from anywhere.
So, let’s say you lock yourself out of your computer because you can’t remember your password and the only place you have it recorded is online. You’re out of luck, right? Not if you keep a password spreadsheet on Google Drive! Simply download the Google Spreadsheets app on your smartphone and you will always have access to your passwords even when you are locked out of your computer.
4. My Favorite Spreadsheet Of Them All
One of my favorite spreadsheets to keep on Google Drive is the one where I record my income. Who doesn’t love to keep track of how much money is coming in?
Being aware of how much money you are making is crucial in business, and is necessary when it comes to things like doing your taxes. Another reason I love to keep track of my income is because it allows me to feel gratitude towards the money that’s coming into my life, while also having clear baselines to set my income goals from. They say what you resist persists so knowing where you’re money is coming from and how much is a great way to ensure that you keep receiving it!
I love Google Drive, and I suggest trying it out for yourself. It can be such an amazing and simple way to keep your life and business organized if you put it to work for you.
To learn more about Gabrielle and the services she offers feel free to check out her website or on Facebook.
