BUS INESS
TIPS TO ORGANIZE YOUR mobile office 5 Words by Jacqui Chaisson
2 Storage
5 Buy a small garbage can or container specifically for your vehicle and empty it whenever you can. I also include a small recycle bin (well, I don't really have one — but it is a great idea) place it directly behind the passenger's seat on the floor for quick and easy access. Throw away food and garbage every day! Boy, this is important, especially in the warmer months. My car smells like a crime- scene during July and August — sometimes I think it may be easier to buy a new car than clean the one I have — and this has been a recommendation. Do yourself a favour and pack a healthy lunch everyday. As I run out the door I throw a few pieces of fruit into my work-bag, and on days when I have more time, I actually get out of my car and have lunch at a local restaurant. No CSI required Having a mobile office is just a reality for some business owners. It doesn't need to become grounds for a divorce or that 'thing' everyone avoids mentioning at family gatherings. I swear, for a while my sister thought I was homeless and living out of my car. 4 OK, I'll admit it — I often eat in my car. I know, it's a really bad habit, not only for your health but your vehicle as well. It's fairly easy to know where I had lunch this week or — this month — by looking behind the passenger seat. On a good note, if I ever become trapped in my vehicle on a stormy mountain road — I won't starve. The whole 'eating in the car' thing
I've been in sales since the late 90s and much of that time was spent in my car — most of that time was spent looking for something! Those that have a mobile office will understand my woes completely; piles of empty coffee cups, sticky bits of paper, several half-full travel mugs in varying stages of putrefaction, and a treasure-trove of coins and pens forever stuck between seats. Between all the clutter and mystery- food items are the important business paraphernalia that I need to use daily. So how do you organize a functional work-space in your vehicle? The following is a list of tips and essential things you need to succeed at business and still maintain relationships with family and friends. Hands-free First and foremost, if your vehicle doesn't come equipped with a hands-free mobile device, invest in one! It's the law! One of the more popular voice-to-text products out there, Voice on the Go, almost lets you do it all: speak text and e-mail messages, Facebook posts and Tweets; listen to, delete, or forward e-mail messages; and dial phone numbers with just your voice. Always have a vehicle-dedicated charger for your mobile devices so you don't find yourself disconnected or forget to take the charger with you.
3 Purchase either an ordinary plastic bin or one that actually holds files to keep all of your business papers safe and 'sticky-free'. It's also a great way to put work away on the weekends. Be sure it will fit snuggly in your trunk and has a good, sturdy lid. Think of it as your mobile desk - and consider adding smaller plastic containers to hold pens, chargers, sales material and anything essential. Stay connected When I did sales in Kingston, Ontario, searching for free WiFi was an important part of the work day and all of the salespeople I knew seemed to spend copious amounts of time at the local Starbucks drinking seven dollar lattes and eavesdropping on the competition for good sales leads. Here in PEI you can of course, go to your local coffee shop, but they may be too crowded or simply too noisy to get a lot of work done. Using your cell phone's Hotspot is a great option, but be aware of extra charges if you're doing any large downloads. One of the best places to not only utilize free wifi, but work as well, is your local library. It's quiet, normally not too crowded, and while you're there relax and read a book.
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106 www. pei-living.ca SPRING 2018
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