Question your processes & procedures
In developing a structure that works, people often talk about systems. It’s actually one of my favourite words but I must admit, the word systems in itself is sometimes as vague as the problems we are trying to solve. On my part, I like to see a system as a series of questions that answer our day-to-day life dealings. For example, in having a ‘guest’s home structure’, you could ask the following questions -
- What happens when a person walks through the doors of my house?
- Will he/she be fed or will she just have drinks?
- If he/she will be fed, what type of food? Proper meal or snacks?
- Will this be different if the person is a new or an old acquaintance?
I’m sure you get my drift… silly as it sounds, do you know that once you answer those questions, you never have to think about it when you have a guest? The fact that you already have a system of ‘processing your guests’ means you are FREE to enjoy their company instead of getting worked up with how to entertain them.
This is a great tool that you can apply to even your business processes. I run a profitable business and in spite of the demands in the business, I am able to maintain an active social life and a mum, largely because my business processes work to an automated schedule.
When I talk about questioning and automating life processes, people frown and defer to ‘I am not a robot’… And I agree, we are not robots; but just think ‘are robots are not reputed to be extremely effective objects in today’s world? You’re your being human gives you the power to alter this ‘program’ when necessary…
Your next steps should be to
- Take out a few minutes and write down processes in your life that cause stress.
- Next, write down as many questions as you can think of
- Answer those questions let it guide you the next time you are faced with the situation.
Please share your feedback on how productive it made you.
