Creating systems is the last step of 7 in making your business easier and more profitable. That’s because it makes sense to have your business working the way you want it to before you start ‘locking in’ the way to do it. Of course, you can create systems for any part of your life and business. Including systems to do the work to make your business easier and more profitable.
Here’s what you need to do to create systems:
- Choose what you want to systematize
- Clarify the results you want
- Analyze how you do it now
- Look for gaps or problems with the way you do it
- Research how others do it
- Add in the new information
- Record, use, test and modify as required
- Record final system
Choose what you want to systematize
Usually it is something you do regularly. The more mundane the easier it is, but even very complicated things can be systematized, or parts of them can be.
Clarify the results you want
This is important. It may seem intuitive, but your system will work better the more you are clear about what results you want. For instance, I started putting my grocery list in my phone. The main reason is that I wanted to make sure I didn’t lose track of things I need that I don’t buy often. If I didn’t pick them up on my written list, I often forgot to put them on the next list. I designed my list so that I can highlight things I need today, while tracking things I will need next week etc.
Analyze how you do it now
As you are doing your task or process, watch how you do it. For the most part we just do it, almost on autopilot. In this case, pay attention to how you do it and what results you get.
Look for gaps or problems with the way you do it
It was my missing various items on my shopping list that spurred me to find a better way. Many times, the problem is simply that you don’t do it often enough to remember how to do it, or you have to search for the right information, or you have to go gather the appropriate tools that slows you down. An explicit system can help you solve all of these situations.
Research how others do it
It was my (80 yo) Aunt who convinced me to put my lists on my phone. My (16 yo) daughter told me that’s how she does it. Between the 2 of them I decided to go with it.
Add in the new information
How can you take what you have learned and make it work for you. This can be tricky, if we are not careful. The real trick here is to make sure that what you bring into your system makes sense for you. If I didn’t regularly bring my phone with me, or if I was uncomfortable using my phone or if I hated reading the small screen, using my phone for lists wouldn’t work for me. It doesn’t matter how well it works for other people,
Record, use, test and modify as required
I tried a couple of different systems in my note app before I found the one that works best for me. It may take a few tries before you are clear and happy with how your system works. Tweak away!
Record final system
Once you are happy, lock that system in place. My grocery list system doesn’t need to be documented for anyone else to use. When I organized a community event, we created a shared Google folder so everyone could see what we were doing, how, when, why and who. It is there now for this year’s organizing crew to use.
Even if you are the only one using your system, you may want to record what and how you do it. Especially of you don’t do it often and need a refresher. And if you think you may bring others on later to do some of your work.
That’s Systems
Systems should make your life easier. That’s why you have them Be deliberate in making them work for you.
