We’re a week into 2016. That means, you have 51 more weeks of this year to make a difference in your business and make this the best year yet. So, how are you going to do it? What is your plan of action?
If you’re sifting through ideas and intentions trying to figure out which will be the most beneficial to reach your 2016 business goals, consider one basic thing every business needs to do to increase productivity and efficiency – that is, get neat. In other words, declutter, get organized, and start the year with a fresh perspective on everything you have (and want to have) on your plate.
Let’s look at how to get neat in the two main areas: your physical space and your mental space.
Physical Space
To get your physical space it order, it requires much attention and an executed plan of action. As always, the first step is to understand your physical space and know how it needs to perform. Do an audit of the physical space where you work (this could be a home office, an actual office, and/or your place of business). Take inventory of what you have in that space and then figure out what you actually need and use. Consider decluttering by removing objects that simply “take up space.”
From there, consider going digital. Collect all the paper and documents you are storing and organize them. Get them into categories and figure out exactly how you want to file. Once you have that pile, scan it and store your documents electronically so you can rid your space of physical paper and ensure your paper documents are safe and secure.
After you’ve completed a preliminary purge and cleared out some space, take a look at the physical space and figure out how it needs to perform to support your work. For instance, do you need a double monitor to see more of your documents when you’re sorting through Excel sheets and other documents? Do you need to keep a scanner or printer nearby so you can easily manage documents? And do you need a place to interact with colleagues and/or customers? Once you compile your shortlist of items you need and understand the flow of your space, get designing and create the layout of your space to have a logical flow and little to no distractions that could interrupt how you conduct business.
Mental Space
The yin to the physical space yang is your mental space. Believe it or not, that is the most precious real estate you have and too often it isn’t audited and there’s a lack of understanding of what’s going on mentally. Since this mental space is so precious and limited, it makes sense to take some time to meditate and sort through what’s weighing heavily.
For many business owners, their mental real estate is cluttered with thoughts about finances, other business issues, and juggling free and family time. This is often a constant struggle and something that can completely encompass your mind and leave less room for revenue building activities such as seeking out new business, thinking creatively, and connecting with future customers/clients.
To address your mental space, ask yourself a big question. Ask, “What keeps me up at night?” What keeps your mind racing? What are you thinking about all too often? Once you find the surface question, dig down to the root and determine what the real issue is and figure out how to deal with it. Once you’ve addressed the issue head on and created a plan to overcome, you will feel your mental space being vacated and there will be more room for other thoughts – the ones that may help you reach those 2016 goals.
So, take some time this January and resolve to get neat. Clear out those spaces and move forward knowing that you’re going to make the most of the next 50ish weeks and that 2016 better watch out!
The post It’s 2016 – Resolve To Get Neat appeared first on The Neat Company.