Tidying is just a tool, not the final destination. The true goal should be to establish the lifestyle you want most once your house has been put in order.
Marie Kondō, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
National Simplicity Day
Has Marie Kondō inspired you to use the KonMari Method™ and get rid of things that don’t spark joy? Don’t stop at tidying up your living space. July 12 is National Simplicity Day, and the time is right to make a clean sweep and simplify your workflow. Here’s how to use KonMari’s six principles to ask yourself pointed questions and de-clutter your business strategies. By discarding outdated software that doesn’t serve your goals, you’ll stay organized in ways that are efficient, save money, and yes—spark joy.
Commit to Tidying Up
How often have you felt busy, but not productive? Are you so involved with daily administration that you forget to enjoy your work? Do you feel like you’re always working hard at something, but you’re not seeing the results you want? According to a Gallup poll, only 13% of Americans feel truly engaged at work. Clutter is a productivity and passion-killer. Before you start simplifying your operations, commit to asking yourself honest questions about your software and decide on your objectives.
Envision Your Ideal Business
The first step of simplifying is envisioning clearly what your goals are. Next, ask yourself questions about how you’ll achieve that vision. How will de-cluttering your desktop help you work toward your three, five, or ten-year plans? If you don’t know what those are, this is your time to dream big, and take small steps on the road to get there. You might even give yourself some realistic action items, with a reasonable deadline to achieve them. Examples: “Delete lost customer files,” or “Create and send a monthly newsletter for my clients.”
Finish Discarding & Practice Gratitude
Sit down at your work computer, and ask and answer honestly: What don’t you need anymore? How many software programs are you running? How many folders are on your desktop? How many tabs are open on your browser? Now, open your client database. How many are long gone? All these things hold you back. It’s time to simplify. Practice gratitude when letting go of tools and programs that are counterproductive to your goals. Thank them for what you’ve learned and how they’ve helped you develop. Once you streamline your software, your day-to-day operations will run more efficiently, thus setting you on the path to growth.
Tidy by Category, Not Location
Evaluate your records and resources. Is it easy to find what you need when you need it? Question what you’re keeping, and why you’re keeping it. Start by categorizing your files: client database, formulas, notes, administrative tools, marketing resources, software programs, etc. Next, set yourself to de-cluttering them, category by category. Ask (and answer) honestly:
- Are your materials outdated?
- Are your marketing strategies performing the way you want?
- Do you need a new, simpler software?
Follow In Order
Once you know the areas you’re tidying up, follow each group to completion in order. Here are four categories to get you started, and the questions to ask.
- Administrative Tools. How do you keep track of your appointments, tasks, projects, and client notes?
- Finances. Does your software effectively track the flow of money into and out of your business? How do you calculate expenses, payroll, and taxes? Where do you house bank statements, spreadsheets, budgets, and receipts?
- Marketing. How to you stay on top of your website, eComm store, or marketing campaigns? Do you have a way of analyzing how your marketing performs?
- Services. How do you organize the services you provide? How do you monitor the resources, expenses, and scheduling required for the services you offer?
Does It Spark Joy?
Obviously, in a business, not everything will spark joy. When you’re simplifying, try adjusting your definition of joy. Ask yourself, Does this serve my business goals? Stay focused on the ideal future you’ve envisioned. If your software doesn’t serve your end goals, it can’t possibly spark (business) joy. Cut down on the clutter to create a system that allows you to remember the joy you felt when you entered this business. Replace multiple outdated systems with salon management software to help you simplify the necessary administrative tasks that steal your joy in small ways.
Tidy Up with Vagaro
How much joy does it bring to constantly toggle between different software platforms to complete the day-to-day tasks that keep your business running? We can help you simplify. While we might not be able to come clean out your back room, we can definitely clean up your desktop. We’ve got solutions to help you streamline the four principal categories where small business owners need the most help: administrative tools, finances, marketing, and services. We can help you organize everything from your schedule, bookings, website and client database to your payment processing, marketing and reports. If you’re ready to simplify your business, we’re ready to bring your vision to reality.
Let us help you spark some joy! See how Vagaro can help you KonMari your business!
Header Image: @brunocandiotto via Twenty20
