Getting organised

Then, organise what's left. Put papers into identifiable files (I always use brightly coloured ones, as they encourage me to be organised.). Put all your owner's manuals together - I've lost some important ones in the past - and be ruthless with the magazine and newspaper references you've been collecting for years. Spend an evening going through all those old press cuttings and throw out the ones youve no use for. Carefully file away only those articles that you may actually need as references for your proposed enterprise.

Sort out your financial paperwork, too. Put pending bills in an accessible place, and file away your old chequebooks and bank statements. Now that you're thinking of becoming self-employed, start getting used to organising your receipts and bills in an orderly way.

I'm sure you're getting the picture. Start with a grand sweep of all the paper clutter you'll never need again, giving a thought to the poor trees that are sacrificed to give us this overload of documents and information.

Then start with your books. The shelves they're taking up space on will be needed for your new enterprise, and besides, clearing away obsolete materials is very cleansing for the mind. But what good does it do to straighten out your files and bookshelves when you have no quiet place to call your own? How can you focus on a vision of your new enterprise when you've got young children or noisy teenagers invading your space?

It's important, however small the home you may have, for your family or housemates to support you in keeping a clear area for yourself.

If you have got a large enough home, dedicate one room to your SEED vision. It's so important to create a living, vital space that reflects your energy. We're like plants. We need good space, light, plenty of water and fresh air. And if you have a window with a view, make sure you can see out when you're working. We need the appropriate environment where we can grow mentally, physically and spiritually.

Next in the series

Read more from Lynne Franks' SEED Handbook: the feminine way to create business