Planning for the future in the present
Do you have a clear process?
As a creative, I used to have this idea that I should go with the flow, create when creativity hits me, when motivation strikes…
Yes, I’m a creative who solves problems with design, and that may not be your creative way, but whatever way you are creative, with numbers, knowing laws, creating content etc., it works the same.
If you are waiting for motivation or creativity to come to you, you will most likely que the crickets or be frantic scrambling to get things together as time runs out.
What I have learned is: you can train your creativity, it’s just like any other muscle.
Oh processes, it’s like angel music to my ears! The more I can streamline and create processes, the easier it is to both create and plan for the future. It also makes handing off tasks to others or new members of your team much easier, especially as you grow (or are planning for it to grow!).
If you don’t run your business with different processes, start by writing down what you do step by step, like you were teaching someone else to do your job.
When you have that list, you can start optimizing that process by removing things you might not need to do or perhaps you combine things, creating more time for yourself.
You can have processes for just about anything, such as onboarding clients, different projects, scheduling, receiving feedback, how you build a website, information collection, the list goes on.
Then, when you need to do a task, you pick up a process and start with step one. No need to wait on any creativity or motivation.
Having these processes also means starting to get a great grasp on how long something takes, giving you an opportunity to plan ahead.
One important tip: These processes need to be reviewed frequently, as your business is a living and breathing entity and things constantly change as you grow.
Do you have something that you can turn into a process and be more consistent and effective with?
A big bonus: I don’t know how often I get clients pointing out how they appreciate and value our process, how they feel inspired by it, and some even mentioning they are “stealing” ideas for themselves. So, it’s not only good internally, but also a tremendous benefit for who you work with as well!
Are you planning for growth? Look for things you can simplify and turn them into optimized processes.
