My Must-Have Business Tools

By Jennifer Mattern on August 4th, 2007

I have a few business tools that I just couldn’t do without when it comes to running my business. The tools range from basic to odd (and not technically “tools” at all). Here are my must-have business tools:

Blue Bic Pens (Yes, I really am that anal about something as simple as a pen. They have to be the blue ink, white stick, Bic pens. I won’t use the ones with black ink. I won’t use other brands. I can’t stand fancy pens. Hey… we all have our hangups.)
Composition Books (I have at least a dozen of them. I like them better than other types of notebooks for whatever reason. I have one for each of my bigger sites to jot down ideas, others that I only use for planning, others for brainstorming, etc.)
Big White Boards (I love white boards. They’re great for a daily to-do list, and I use them for my blogging chart for the week - so I can check off each day of the week for each blog if or when I write a post for it. It gives me a nice snapshot of my week’s work.)
Index Cards (I’m a bit obsessive about index cards too. I like the larger ones, because they’re great for shorter lists. While I use a whiteboard to keep track of what blogs I post on on what days, each blog gets a big index card each week too, where I plan out post titles or themes, so I know what I want to write about if I have the time.)
Calendars (I’m not a fan of digital calendars. I spend too much time in front of a screen as it is, so I like my scheduling done by hand. I usually keep a giant wall calendar for important business deadlines, a small whiteboard calendar, and at least one planner with a monthly and weekly calendar, all to track different deadlines, goals, and plans.
Computer (That’s just a given.)
Pine Scented Candles (Or sometimes cinnamon…. While not technically “tools,” they do increase my productivity and help to keep me alert. Plus, they simply smell yummy.)