I have a client I've been working with in a 1-1 coaching relationship who is a physician. At the end of last year, she started her own private practice. Regardless of what profession you're in, starting your own business is a big endeavor. In many cases, there's a large financial outlay initially and there are a lot of systems, processes and new routines that need to be established as the foundation of your success. This client was very successful working within the structure as an employee. There were clearly defined job duties and responsibilities and work hours as well as a team of resources to help handle other tasks in the office. On her own, she often feels overwhelmed at the growing list of tasks and responsibilities that fall on her plate. She expressed feelings of frustration at not being able to handle all of her work and personal/family responsibilities on her own.
Working together, we reviewed her strengths and strategies that have worked successfully for her in the past. We used these as a baseline to create a system that will function more effectively for her today. Starting from optimizing the tools she already has accessible, we began exploring and discovering techniques she could adapt in this new work environment to get more done with less. The key that we're focusing on is to minimize the mental clutter so that as much as possible happens on a routine basis without having to think about it. We’re eliminating procrastination and perfectionism, as well. For example, bill paying had fallen behind because incoming bills had gotten lost in the increasing piles in her home office. By adapting the same technique she was using at her office to keep incoming bills in a manila envelope and take care of paying them on a weekly basis, she was easily able to create a structured routine. In my case, I have made it a habit to pay my bills on the first and the fifteenth of each month to avoid the possibility of late payments, overdue fees, penalties, etc. When I’m traveling, I prepare them either before I go or immediately when I return in order to keep the rhythm going for this routine task.
The point is that there isn't just one right way to manage anything in your work or office and the more you can establish as part of your regular routine, the easier it becomes to manage everything on your plate. By leveraging your strengths and past successful behaviors, you can adapt to new situations with less difficulty.
Things will continue changing at work—you'll possibly get new work assigned, a new boss, a relocation, different responsibilities, a promotion, a new position, etc.—so, if you re-establish the routines, habits, systems and processes that work for you each time there is a change, you'll be in a better place of managing your full plate with grace, balance and success!
