Freedom from the Hamster Wheel– Executing Systems to Find Your Freedom

Part 3.  EXECUTE SYSTEMS TO FIND YOUR FREEDOM

Close your eyes and picture it… your business running smoothly, everyone knowing what they need to do without your feedback, money coming … Ahhhh, freedom!

If you are like most business owners, you dream of that day, but it is closer than you think, so long as you stop dreaming and start doing! Time to build systems!!

As you start allotting your precious time, in the appropriate 4 Pillars of Successful Business Management, you will find you get more done and feel more accomplished. Using your time on focused endeavors allows you to be more productive and reduce the mental chatter about other tasks you need to get to, because now those other tasks have a place to live. For instance, phone calls can get handled every afternoon at 1 pm rather than disrupting your morning. This method allows you to then, start focusing on building the systems in each of the 4 Pillars so the business will begin to run on its own.  

To build a system, you need to start with the individual components that make the process run smoothly. Think of this as the 10,000-foot view of how all the pieces work together. Then you take each component and build out the policy, (why are we doing this and why does it benefit the team to do it the way we want), and the procedure, (the step by step instructions on how to get the task or series of tasks done). Building systems takes work but it is so, so worth it!! 

So how do you get started? Here are some quick tips to propel you to success:

1. Make a list of the top 5 tasks that interrupt your day. 
2. Ask yourself the following:
   a. Does your business need this task to function?
   b. Does the task happen often? Daily/weekly/monthly?
   c. Is there a set process that could train someone else to do it?
3. If yes, then grab your favorite voice memo app, I personally love Rev.com and Temi.com for quick transcription, and simply spend 5 minutes dictating the step by step process of how to handle it.  It won’t be perfect, but it will get you started.
4. Then go over the transcription with the virtual assistant, staff person or friend who is going to take over doing that task for you and together you can refine it. 
5. Check out our video on How to Build Policies and Procedures and Regain Your Freedom.

Building systems takes time, but if you stay diligent at building individual components, soon all the pieces are working together.  As you grow your company, you will need to refine those systems but by then you will likely have a team to help you revise.  

Once you start building the systems to support the 4 Pillars, you are on the road to your freedom and off the dreaded hamster wheel!  

If you want more great tips for building a thriving, profitable business, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and check out our YouTube Channel.