Self-employed: 3 steps to organise your administrative tasks

Self-employed: 3 steps to organise your administrative tasks

Although administrative tasks are necessary for running a business, they do not generate turnover for a self-employed person. It is therefore essential to establish an efficient system to reduce the time spent on admin and focus on your core business. Bookkeeping, declarations, keeping important documents: you are constantly juggling everything. Sometimes, it can be difficult not to forget anything. Many self-employed people feel a mental burden from the sheer number of administrative tasks to complete. The secret to peace of mind lies in organising your business well. So why is organising your administrative tasks so important? How can you organise yourself to manage the mental load of admin more effectively? This article provides answers with a three-step guide.

Why is it important to organise your administrative tasks when you are self-employed?

If your business is a sole proprietorship (like many self-employed businesses in Switzerland), your administrative tasks remain relatively simple. For entrepreneurs operating as a SASU, for example, administrative obligations become more complex. Without good organisation, you can quickly feel overwhelmed, whatever your legal status.

Preparing quotes, paying invoices, sending reminder emails, declaring turnover, paying your contributions… All these tasks can seem insurmountable: every self-employed person goes through this at some point. The key to overcoming this mental burden lies in organising your administrative tasks. When you anticipate deadlines and schedule your tasks in your calendar in advance, you can move forward with your business with peace of mind.

The aim of good organisation is simple: reduce the time spent on admin so you can focus on client projects and selling your products or services. This helps you avoid putting off administrative tasks. The more tasks pile up, the greater the mental burden. It is therefore better to tackle these obligations little by little rather than fall behind.

How can you organise your administrative tasks?

Now that you understand the importance of organising your administrative tasks, all that remains is to work out how… There are different ways to organise yourself when you are self-employed. Everyone is unique, and the advantage of working for yourself is that you can structure your weeks according to your own preferences. Nevertheless, some broad principles can help you manage your admin.

Plan ahead for deadlines

Peace of mind comes from planning ahead. To stay organised, it is essential to know your obligations and their deadlines. Your first task in getting ahead is to list all the administrative tasks associated with your business. Whatever their importance or timing during the year, take stock of everything you need to do to keep your business compliant with Swiss laws and regulations. Declaring turnover, paying contributions, keeping invoices, chasing overdue payments: do not leave anything out. Also consider tasks specific to your profession or type of business.

Once your list is ready, assign dates to each task. The next step is to create your admin calendar. Allocate time slots in your diary according to each deadline so that you stay up to date. For recurring tasks, set aside time each week for admin. A fixed hour every week allows you to chase clients, send invoices, pay contributions and keep track of administrative updates.

Sequence’s tip: consider combining Time Boxing with your administrative tasks. “Batching” (grouping topics of the same category together) these kinds of tasks makes you more productive. This leaves you more time to work on your clients’ projects and develop your business.

Be meticulous with your admin

Maintaining an optimal organisational system requires diligence. Rushing through your administrative tasks creates extra work later on (and increases your mental burden). Always make sure you complete your administrative documents and declarations accurately. The time spent completing your administrative tasks correctly saves you time later: you will not have to revisit them.

Also remember to keep your documents, certificates and proof of payment in one central location. When you need a document or face an inspection, you will be able to find what you are looking for more easily.

Being meticulous also means expecting the same diligence from the businesses and institutions you work with. Do not hesitate to chase unpaid invoices or call public services when something goes wrong. This way, you stay up to date and make the most of the time you spend on admin.

Use a tool for your admin

Chasing clients, entering purchase invoices, checking your accounts, generating your opening balance sheet or managing your VAT… What if all of this could be handled through a simple, intuitive tool? No need to keep you in suspense: you can already automate these tasks with Sequence’s AI.

Self-employed people can use an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), software for managing a company’s operational and administrative activities. This tool allows you to:

• generate your invoices in just a few clicks;
• automate your reminders;
• receive payment alerts;
• save your best-selling services and products to generate documents in seconds;
• manage your team’s schedule;
• quickly import your purchase invoices;
• send documents to your accountant in just a few clicks;
• and access many more features.

Do you bill your services at an hourly rate? Activate the Timesheet to bill your clients accurately. This administrative simplification gives you extra time to devote to your professional projects.

Summary: organising admin when you are self-employed

To stay on top of your admin and maintain peace of mind, Sequence recommends:

1. Planning ahead for administrative deadlines by listing all your tasks, then adding them to your annual calendar.
2. Being meticulous by keeping your documents in a central location (such as Sequence) and following up with partners, clients or public authorities who are behind on matters concerning you.
3. Using a business management tool such as Sequence to save hours on your administrative tasks every month. Try it free for 14 days.