I know it probably seems like an oxymoron to say that creating business process management tools can be sexy but you haven’t looked at them through my eyes. You’re a creative. Not an administrator. And other than the librarian who has to let her hair down and take her glasses off to be sexy, you have no frame of reference. So I completely understand your refusal to cave to the premise.

The Premise: 

If you’re a creative then what you want to spend your time on is creating. Not searching through files and paperwork, trying to remember if you’ve been paid, feeling frazzled because it’s midnight and you’re still trying to figure out how many site visits you’ve already done and where is that contract again? There’s nothing sexy, or professional, about showing up unprepared with missing information and messy hair because you were too rushed to brush it.

Systems may seem daunting but the effect is the opposite. Creating the right systems and processes for your entire team to use takes away the guesswork in the minutiae. Leaving only the creative outlook. When the simple things are messy like searching for documents, knowing you have the most up-to-date information and your colleagues notes. That’s how your business eats time and loses money. Purely organizational issues and lack of follow through. Creating those custom to your company business process management tools are going to allow you to grow and flourish. Because with that taken care of you can lean into your creative genius. And when you’re on fire, in your zone, I guarantee that’s dang sexy.

The Catch:

You have to be willing and motivated to change. Because it isn’t going to seem important at first. And it will seem easier in the moment to just do it the old way. With empty promises to come back and do it right. That’s how you stay stuck. If you aren’t ready to take what feels like extra steps up front, that prevent hours lost later then carry on bravely. Make sure you always have a ponytail or toque in your car.

No one will ever force you to follow through but you. Your business is your life, your livelihood, your passion or maybe just your day job. Whatever it is why not run so smoothly that you have time for living too. What holds us back is usually laziness and fear disguised as busyness. Laziness because it feels like adding to your plate right now and you’re already swamped. Fear because you don’t know how to do it and learning something new can feel daunting.

You have to recognize that part of why you feel so busy and rushed is because your business is chaotic. When you can sit at your desk and know what to open, what you need to look at, and exactly what you’re doing that day the stress of chaos dissipates. And your efficiency will skyrocket. When a client calls and you only need a few minutes to pull up their files and see what the last communication was, what information they have and what is outstanding that conversation can be much shorter.

Don’t underestimate yourself! When we tell ourselves that we can’t do something before we even try the likelihood of learning is nada. It can be challenging, sure. But challenging only means impossible if you decide so.

The Point:

Less training. Less time lost. More profit creating, more time for new clients. Less thinking about how to do what you need to do and just doing it.

Also, it will get easier. Just like every good and bad habit you currently have. Commit to following your new process. Commit to the strategies you created that are custom to how you work. And they will become the new normal. You’ll run on instinct again but you’ll be running at a level for your business to thrive.

Showing up freshly showered, hair in place, tablet in hand and ready to get sh*t done. Now that is sexy.