by Matt Brock, Divergent Planning (@matthewbbrock)
I love systems. Most of this love stems from being a creature of habit (to a fault at times) but also because systems can make processes consistent and efficient. Its often hard during a normal workday to slow down and take the time to create a systematic approach for something we know we will have to do again. This is usually because we are focusing on getting a task done as quickly as possible “right now” without thinking about the fact we may have to rush to do the same task again.
Systems allow us to “forget” details by building those details into the system itself. Rather than having to remember how we did a certain task each time, we can forget about the minute details. This allows us to spend more of our “brain time” being creative and thinking about ways to grow our businesses as opposed to just running it.
Business Systems
A strategy I use for creating systems for business is by pretending I am creating it to be run by someone else. I try not to go overboard, but I am detailed enough that most people could follow it without having an in-depth knowledge of the process beforehand. This could be a checklist, spreadsheet or whatever you feel most comfortable using. For some great tools for business owners check out: Get Organized. Be Efficient.
Personal Systems
One of the “systems” I have created for myself personally came out of the need to keep up with so much great content online. Most business owners do a lot of online reading of articles, posts, etc. It can be overwhelming. Many people use a RSS reader to keep up. I use Google Reader. Each morning (and sometimes during the day since I can access it on my phone) I scan the posts in Google Reader. I focus only on scanning and not so much on full reading. If I see an article I think I may want to read (but don’t feel like I need to read it at that exact moment) I save it using instapaper (which can also be done from my phone). If I come across an article or post throughout the day (often from links someone tweets or posts on Facebook) I click on the instapaper bookmarklet on my browser and boom. It is saved in a text only format that I can read on my phone, e-reader or computer later. On Fridays I usually go back through what I saved throughout the week for a more thorough read.
Putting it Together
One of the best resources on systematizing your life and your work is the book “The Four Hour Work Week”. The book is a resource for tools to make your life and business more productive. Author, Tim Ferris, discusses the tools he tested and used to make his busy life more productive while still making time to achieve his many personal goals. While the title is a bit misleading (Tim obviously works his butt off and works way more than four hours per week), you will learn some great tools and resources to get even more done. If you have not read this book, definitely give it a read. If you don’t read often or can’t find the time to read, buy the audio version and listen to it in traffic. It is well worth it.The original is a few years old so buy the updated and expanded edition.
Talk to Others
Ask people in your industry what they use for certain industry-specific tasks. Most likely, you are not the first person to need it. Hey, you may even stumble upon a need that you can monetize on like Jason Fried, owner of 37Signals who wanted systems for his web development company and when he could not find what he wanted, he created it. Now 37Signals makes millions selling the systems he created.
Whatever systems you create, make sure to use them consistently until its a habit. I love hearing about tools that I don’t know about so please share them!
