Routine is a funny old thing. Nobody wants to fall in to a bad one, but we all know that a routine is needed to achieve goals. The trick to making sure your routine doesn't fall flat on its face is to reassess and rework it regularly. It's important in business not to get caught up in an old, boring, or out of date routine. Routines need to be continuously moving and changing. It helps you to put a flow into the running of your business. Tasks get done more effectively. Progress becomes easier to measure making success more reachable. Routine creates practice. Practice isn't always perfect but it gives you a better chance of achieving your goals because of commitment and perseverance. We are creatures of habit and very much depend on having a routine to add that feeling of security to our day. This allows you to be awake at a certain time. Function well and complete jobs with a desired outcome. It allows you to be focus and committed to your business. It increases output creating a more organized space where you can work more efficiently, communicate clearly and more regularly with your clients, and hopefully make more sales in the process. One of the most important things about creating a routine is that it gives you the ability to revisit, review and revamp it on a regular basis. Tasks that you need to do today may not be relevant or need the same attention in two years time.
What's relevant today may not be of relevance tomorrow.
The best solution for this is to look at your timetable of tasks every 2 to 3 months with the intention of reshuffling duties and making sure there is no time wasting. Assess that the big challenges are being tackled upfront.
So what do you do? Firstly, make a list of all the tasks that you carry out on a daily bases. See what is getting done and what isn't getting done. Put them in order in terms of importance and allocate a time every week to each task. Look at jobs that are done randomly such as accounts, stocktaking and deliveries. Give a certain time to stocktaking. This allows you devote more time to your customers. Designate a particular time to take in deliveries. This keeps interruptions to a minimum giving you more time to focus on the frontline of your business. Have a set time for doing the accounts so that you'll free up time for promotion and pushing your brand and products. Become accountable for your actions and the results of your actions. When you know exactly who is responsible for the various elements of work being done within your business routine you create a clear sense of liability. This enables you to see what works and what doesn't work. It helps you to find solutions and make things happen. Don't let good work go unrewarded and if it doesn't work, rework it until it becomes what it needs to be. Establish a clear and consistent daily routine for your business that will free up time and eliminate distractions. Decide when and where things are to be done and stick to it. Drive yourself by getting focused on the results of your routine. Measure the results. When you find that the routine is getting boring, targets are not being met, you are slowing down or it simply isn't working, go back to the drawing board, mix it up and change it around. Make it exciting. Make it work for you. There is no one-size routine that fits all. You have to do what works for you and the only way to find the golden routine is to shake it up regularly.