Spring is finally here and it’s time to do some Spring cleaning. But I’m not talking about washing windowsills or scrubbing baseboards, I’m referring to your business.
Spring is the perfect time to step back and make an honest assessment of your progress through the first quarter of the year. Think about what’s been working thus far, what needs to be tweaked, and what should be done away with.
Chances are there may be quite a few things we can get rid of… if we’re being honest. Some of them are obvious, while others… not so. I hope that this article piques your curiosity and encourages you to get rid of things that hinder your productivity.
Your Office
Let’s start with the obvious. When is the last time you gave your office a deep cleaning? I mean really got down to it… cleaning behind your monitor, under the flowerpots, dusting pictures, etc. You’d be surprised how much of an impact deep cleaning can have on your productivity.
As little things get out of place in our office, they slowly become distractions. How often have you said, “I’ll get to it”, regarding something that needs to be fixed, cleaned, or straightened up? Studies show that decluttering helps improve our focus, concentration, and creativity, and increases productivity. And guess what, Spring is the perfect time to take care of that.
Your Computer Files
How organized is your computer? Do you have a good online filing system, or do you have random files and folders all over your computer? If you’re one of those people that tidy up your files at the end of each workday; congratulations, you are in the minority.
However, if you’re like most people, it could use some work. Tips and tricks for having a better online filing system are heavy topics. In fact, one of our previous posts, Digital Filing & Organization Tips for Small Business Owners is a good resource for anyone looking to improve their online filing system.
Emails
Email is another heavy topic that gives many people anxiety because it’s so easy for our emails to get out of control. We’ve all been there, we leave messages in our inbox that we plan on coming back to, and before you know it, the inbox number has ballooned out of control.
To prevent that number from getting crazier, do some Spring cleaning to your inbox and rid your email of all that clutter. For some pointers on how to better manage your emails, check out this post titled, How to De-clutter Your Inbox.
As stated earlier, when we Spring clean our business, some things simply need to be tweaked. When we step back and look at certain aspects of our business, we can identify areas where it would be advantageous to allow someone else to tackle tasks that we don’t enjoy doing or don’t have time to do. Email management is one of those tasks that many small business owners hugely benefit from.
Social Media
Every so often, it’s a good idea to go through your social media profiles and see if who or what you are following is in line with your goals. Sure, social media doesn’t have to always be serious and all about business, but are certain things constantly popping up in your feed that distract you? If so, it is time to do some Spring cleaning on your social media platforms.
Keep in mind, the algorithms have gotten so sophisticated that each platform knows what we like and what is most likely to hold our attention. Therefore, we must be aware and intentional with our social media activity.
Monthly Expenses
The beginning of the year is always an exciting time. We are eager to get back to work and often, we try out new systems and processes in hopes of making our lives easier. We sign up for free trials or implement new software that has a monthly obligation.
By the time Spring rolls around, we realize that some of the new things we’ve implemented aren’t being used. Fortunately, some people catch this early and cancel their subscriptions or make the necessary adjustments. Yet, others go on for months paying for things they either don’t use or use sparingly. Spring cleaning your monthly expenditures can save you tons of money and headaches.
You
Sometimes we need to give ourselves a good Spring cleaning. Your daily activity is the heartbeat of your business. If you are not operating efficiently, neither will your business. If possible, use Spring as a time to step away for a little while so you can recharge.
Highly productive people understand the importance of recharging. In fact, many of them plan their Spring vacations at the beginning of the year. The reason they can do this is that they have systems and processes in place that allow them to step away without their business imploding.
Conclusion
Springtime is full of good energy and the perfect time to take your business to the next level. Make the necessary changes in your business and for those things that need to be tweaked, consider outsourcing to help you save time and energy so you can focus on the areas that matter most.
At Apex Virtual Solutions, we help many small business owners streamline their operations and improve productivity through our professional and creative services. So, if you need help with Spring cleaning, give us a call at 866-874-3647.