Is it time for a business check-up?

If you’re anything like me, most days you get a bunch of unwanted mail and usually throw it out without much of a look. Earlier this month, as I was looking through my mail and sorting through the junk pile to throw out, something caught my eye. There was a health magazine that was sent from a local hospital and on the cover read “Top Tips for Healthier Living.” This wouldn’t have normally gotten my attention, but due to some recent health check-ups I’ve had lately, this caught my eye.

I turned to the section about healthy tips and as I was reading about the top tips for healthier living, (and realizing I should start making some changes!) I also started thinking about my business and how maybe it could use a “check-up.”

Sometimes things in our life become so routine, that we don’t give much thought to them. For example, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise or not getting annual check-ups can result in health issues that can affect our entire life. Likewise, in business, overwhelming work environments and lack of planning or direction can result in negative results (or none at all) to our entire business.

By taking some time to care for my business and plan for the future (just as I do for my own health and life) it will give my business the best chance for a healthy future.

Here are some tips that can help make for a healthy business:

1. Chunk things down into smaller tasks – When you’re feeling overwhelmed by a large project or goal that you need to tackle, make your action steps smaller and easier. One clue that will let you know that you need to break your goal down into smaller chunks is that you find yourself procrastinating. Procrastination is often caused by the feeling of being overwhelmed. By breaking big projects down into small action steps, you can accomplish great things, little by little.

2. Cut out non value-added tasks – Many studies have shown that we only add value to a product for less than 5% of the time, the rest of the time is wasted! Make sure to add value to what is most important for your business and what will get you to your desired goal.

3. Slow down and breathe – Sometimes you just need to breathe! If you find yourself getting overwhelmed with a project or task, take a step back or even away from it for a bit and recharge. Oftentimes when you come back to it, you see the project or task from a new perspective and can get back in the swing of things!

4.Control end of year spending – This one is pretty obvious, but do your best to cut out any spending that isn’t absolutely necessary for the business. Focus on utilizing the budget for things that will improve or expand your business to reach your desired goal.

5.Keep good notes regarding important issues – This is a great habit to develop. In business, a best practice is to take notes on important items and keep them (if not indefinitely) at least for an extended period of time. You never know when you have to refer back to them for a refresher on something or to update them as things change – which as we all know – they do often.

6.Plan ahead for 2018 objectives – Review your business for the current year and plan for what you will need in the new year to make it a success. This can include a review of clients, projects, staffing, supplies and overall goals for the new year.

Having a healthy business isn’t hard; it just takes some thought, planning, and implementation to get to that desired goal. Maybe you haven’t thought about it, just as I didn’t think about healthy tips until I got that magazine in the mail. Consider this your “magazine in the mail” and take some time to think about how you could improve the health of your business?

Like some of the tips you’ve read? I’d love to hear what your “health” plan is for your business. Need some help with planning or projects? Here’s what we do, we’d love to help you!