Don't Organize Your Office
Create an oasis intead.
In fall 2007, I spent 5 days at a wooded retreat center - along with 20 other small business owners - with consultants Mark Silver and Holly Glaser. The topic? Creating momentum in your business.
It was fabulous.
Over the week, I learned that one of the most important sources of entrepreneurial momentum is knowing what your business stands for and why it exists.
Hitting home
If you subscribe to my newsletter, you'll know that I care deeply about my clients and the success of their business.
Yet, as I've encouraged people to get their offices ship-shape, something kept happening. They'd tell me about their problem areas and then we'd write an action plan.
Then over time, some clients would lose enthusiasm for clearing out the clutter or setting up new systems. Sometimes they saw this work as "time away" from the business and their clients. They'd lose steam.
Sound familiar? Not surprisingly, that wasn't my intention.
A new approach to the same ol' same ol'
At the retreat, I discovered the missing ingredient that helps people get motivated and stay engaged in the process of creating an effective, inspiring home office.
Are you dying to find out that secret ingredient?
It's not organization or even money... It's passion.
Beginning with the end in mind
The way I see it, everyone has a gift to bring to the world. If you start a business, your passion compels you to share your gift with others.
But when your workspace isn't working, it blocks the flow of your gift to the world. It can actually prevent your unique offerings from getting to the people who need them most.
If you've been focusing on trying to "fix" your office's problems (piles or clutter or whatever), it's okay to stop.
You don't have to get organized just for the sake of organizing. It's a dead end that depletes you and your business.
And once you've stopped...
A favorite author of mine, Robert Fritz, says that you can't help create the results you want if you begin with the vision in mind.
By starting with a big, juicy vision of how your work can change the world, it will allow you to see with great clarity the very things your office needs to support your work.
Then, you can take it down to the practical level of removing clutter or setting up filing... but the difference is that you're making changes that align with your vision.
That's a whole different ball game from just "getting organized", don't you think?
Why it matters
It all comes down to this: the world needs your gifts. It needs them more than you can know.
In order to bring your gifts to those who need them, your business needs support - and your office is a fabulous place to start.
Things to try:
1. Notice if you guilt or beat yourself up about your clutter/piles/office.
I'm extending to you gentle permission to accept your workspace exactly as it is. Take a deep breath. It's okay. It's perfect.
See your space for what it is: precious, holy ground that can deeply nurture your business.
2. Connect with your passion
Do you remember the day you got the idea to start your business? Reflect for a moment on what kind of impact you want your business to have in the world?
3. Make tracks:
As you keep this vision in your heart, ask yourself if there's something you can do in your workspace that would help spread your message to the world more effectively.
Could it be connecting more regularly with your contacts? A clearer billing system? An easier way to find the information you need?
What does your business vision need to provide it with complete support? There are no "right" answers, just trust whatever comes up - and then make a note of it.
Connecting your vision with this practical step will make it easier to complete and more fulfilling when its done.
(c) Copyright 2007 - all rights reserved - Simplicity Staging & Redesign
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