Over the years I’ve discovered that most things in life can be improved with a good spring cleaning. Your business is no different.
After all, you choose to do a spring cleaning because stuff accumulates. Whether it’s dust or dirt or junk mail or clutter or just “stuff” in general, it’s good to take some time and get rid of it all. Then you can start fresh and clean.
Your business is the same way. Whether it’s piles of old files that need to be thrown out or relationships that are no longer serving you, sometimes it’s good to take stock on what’s working and not working in your business, clean out what’s not working so you can open up the space to more of what you DO want. And yes, this sounds sort of woo-woo, but it actually does work.
So ready to get that “spring clean feeling” in your biz? Here are a few places to get started:
Environment —
1. Get rid of your stacks. File them, toss them, delegate them. Do something with them, but just get rid of them.
2. Clean out old client files. This works like a charm. The moment you clean out old client files, whether that means filing them into long-term storage or tossing them, you’ll discover new clients starting to contact you. I first discovered this when I was a freelancer — every time I wanted new clients one of the things I did (along with marketing and picking up the phone) was clean out my old client files. And it worked!
3. Get rid of the clutter in your office. Are there things that need to be mailed (for instance, books you borrowed from people and need to be returned)? Or do you have things you really need to donate? Box them up and ship them out!
Relationships —
1. Are you in relationships that are no longer serving you? Maybe you’re in different places or one of you has changed and it’s no longer a good fit. Be honest here. And be thorough. Look at your friends, associates, biz partners, JV or affiliate relationships, clients (yes even clients) and team members. If something isn’t working (and yes, you know it’s not working, your gut has probably already zeroed in the relationships you need to take a closer look at) then you probably need to move on. (Or at the very least, change the relationship.)
2. Difficult conversations. Are there some difficult conversations you’ve been putting off? Maybe someone owes you money or didn’t live up to some other promise? Maybe they did something you don’t agree with? Whatever it is, spring cleaning is a great time to get that cleaned up so you can move forward.
Habits —
1. Are there things you’re either doing or not doing that you know would move you forward? Maybe you want to start exercising regularly, meditating, journaling, or just getting your ezine out each week? Or maybe you’re wasting a lot of time on things that aren’t serving you or moving you forward in your business? Take a look at what you’re doing on a daily basis to see if that’s helping you or hindering you.
None of these tasks are necessarily things you’re going to enjoy, but once you do them, you’ll be amazed at how good you’ll feel (and how much energy it frees up for you). And don’t be surprised if you start seeing a flood of things you want come pouring into your business.