"The Art of Getting Organized": An Interview with Thomas Klußmann from Gründer.de

He is a founder, marketing expert, and organization master. Thomas Klußmann, CEO of Gründer.de, advises and supports freelancers, SMEs, and startups on their path to success. If anyone knows how to make the most of their 24 hours a day, it's him, we thought. And we talked to him about the art of getting organized.

SETTING: When did organization become a topic for you?

THOMAS KLUßMANN: I think a certain level of organization is simply part of adult life. But organization really became a topic for me during my studies. I wanted to travel, worked for four companies, and founded an online shop. At the same time, I graduated within the standard period of study. So, even though I could rely on automated processes for the shop, I still had to be organized.

SETTING: How organized is your daily work routine?

THOMAS KLUßMANN: Since I am active as a founder and co-founder in two companies, a well-organized workday is essential. I start around eight and use the first few hours of the day, when my concentration is at its highest, for a focused work phase, where I try to shield myself from all potential distractions. Then, it's time for the daily program. The great thing about my work is that I don't do the same thing day in and day out. So, the planning always depends on what's currently on the agenda. Over the past few months, organizing the Contra, the Conversion, and Traffic Conference has been one of the main tasks. Now that we've successfully completed it for the fourth time, it's on to other exciting tasks. At the same time, I always make sure to leave enough room for sports during the workweek to maintain my physical and mental performance.

SETTING: Are there specific techniques you can recommend?

THOMAS KLUßMANN: Goals must be clearly defined, and the path to achieving them must be planned. To-do lists and deadlines help with that. When working in a team, for example, you should use cloud services like Google Drive with just one task list, so that each team member can check off their tasks, and everyone knows where the project stands.

You can also, when doing something for the first time, start by developing a standard procedure based on the individual steps. This makes it faster when a similar task comes up next time. Of course, things often don't go 100% according to plan, but fixed processes help save a lot of time, and ultimately, that's what organization is all about.

Furthermore, small tasks that take less than 5 minutes should simply be done immediately without writing them down.

SETTING: What are classic no-gos and/or best practice examples?

THOMAS KLUßMANN: No-gos are: procrastination, not setting clear goals, and wasting too much time on details that don't move you forward. It's not for nothing that they say "Done is better than perfect." An important part of organization is also setting priorities: Which tasks are important? Which tasks involve my core competencies, and which tasks can I delegate?

Ideally, this means that I can focus on the important and decisive things, for which I am an expert, and everything else runs automatically or has been delegated.

SETTING: What was the most important experience regarding organization that you have had so far?

THOMAS KLUßMANN: That an 80-hour workweek is possible but not a desirable permanent state. There is this point where work no longer feels like work because you enjoy what you do and do it well, but not leaving room for sleep and balance in the long run is not sensible. But it's good to know where your own limits are and how much you can achieve when you're burning around the clock for your business. After all, there's no way around putting a lot of work into your company, especially at the beginning. Even if you rely on automation, the corresponding structures must first be built and optimized.

SETTING: How are organization and motivation related?

THOMAS KLUßMANN: Motivation leads to action, but without organization, much of the energy is wasted. At the same time, it's possible to be productive even on days with low motivation through organization and discipline. When you see that the plan is working and the goal is getting closer, you become more motivated. So, if necessary, it's possible to function without motivation, but motivation and organization ultimately complement each other. Goal setting is where they come together. Goals, both the big end goal and milestone goals, are the cornerstones of any planning. If we really stand behind them, we are motivated, and the higher they are set, the more we can achieve in the end - even if we don't quite reach them. We need to visualize these goals repeatedly because building a business, like a marathon, requires a lot of endurance and energy over a long distance.

Thomas Klußmann:

Online marketing expert Thomas Klußmann set up an online business during his studies and worked for four companies before quickly climbing the ranks at an internet company in his final year of study. Currently, Klußmann, in addition to his role as CEO of Gründer.de, is also involved with the One Idea GmbH, which he co-founded. Gründer.de advises and supports freelancers, SMEs, and startups on their path to success. The founder consultancy, launched in 2011, supports aspiring entrepreneurs with coaching, webinars, and events. Founders and those interested in founding receive information and input several times a week through the Gründer.de magazine.