Part 4 of 5: Find the Joy

Awhile back I read Marie Kondo’s book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”.   Aside from learning which clothing items brought me joy and which ones were just MEH, my biggest takeaway was that having a spot for everything not only kept things tidy, but also saved me a sh*t ton of time.  Shoes, shirts, socks, jewelry, all folded, hung or stacked in a way that I could see everything easily.  Now, when I put my laundry away, I have space for all the things…no more cramming the drawers so tight that the poor IKEA dresser groans in pain with the bottoms of the drawers drooping so much that I have to use my trusty crow bar to pry them open.  It’s been well over a year now and I’m still following her process and I love it.

I love it so much that I decided to see what I could apply to my business will share with you my 3 ways to save time and stress using

Declutter By Category

Decluttering your physical space will help you declutter your mental space when it comes to your business which will help you get really really clear on your goals.   This took me almost 6 months to do, and it's an ongoing practice.  Here are some categories to consider decluttering in your business:  

Art Supplies

Office Supplies

Computer Files

Client Lists

Receipts

Documents

Old Mail

Books

Shipping Supplies

Tools

Outdoor Art Show Equipment

Pro Tip - Only work on one category at a time.  Once you pick one, decide what stays, what gets thrown away, and what gets donated.  Before you move to the next category, you’ll find a place for each item you keep.

Everything Has a Place

Things easily get put away when there is a place for them.  For everything you choose to keep in your life and business, treat it with the respect it deserves and give it a home in your space.  Group like things together.  Scan documents into a program like One Note or Evernote and shred the physical item to free up space for other things. Find smart storage solutions for items that need containers like paint, brushes, and office supplies.  Books get stored on shelves so you can access them easily.  I couldn’t possible quantify the time I’ve saved not looking for lost items and files because I decluttered and organized them carefully and with intent.

Find Joy in Your Business

I can think of a million things I’d rather be doing than reconciling my books each month.  The first of the month would come…and then go, and I’d drag my feet, procrastinate and stress over the idea of sitting down, running my reports and reconciling my accounts.  I am certain that the time invested in not wanting to do it much outweighed the time it took to actually just do the damn thing.  I decided see if I could find any joy in the reconciliation process and see if that would make the difference for me.   I found that although that act of reconciliation was not joyful for me, at the end of the process I felt great.  I knew where my finances were which would help me make important decisions, I felt like a responsible business woman, and I was following through on my commitment to myself to balance the books regularly.  The joy was in the way I felt when it was complete and that was what I needed to get it done each month.  

In the end, my challenge to you is to make things simple and find the joy.  I think you’ll be surprised to see what happens as a result.  Now, go make something incredible today!