When The Wrench Is On The Nut, Tighten it
::Together With Financial Cents::
Redefining how accounting firms get work done.
Do you have too many touch points for getting schtuff done? Do you get out the wrench, maybe even put it over the nut, but not tighten it? We all do!
Getting started on tasks is often the hardest part, but finishing something is the second hardest. Here are six simple ideas to help you finish your everyday tasks efficiently, freeing up your time and headspace.
One: Delegate Wisely
What is one thing you should delegate to technology or a human right now? Seriously, just start with one thing you can punt off.
Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to contractors, your team or technology.
Empower your humans with the necessary tools and information to handle responsibilities, freeing you up to focus on higher-level tasks
Find system and automation wins that technology can action for you
Two: Wrangle Your Email
Emails can be the bane of our existence, but ignoring them only leads to a cluttered inbox and missed opportunities. Below are some tips to stay on top of your email game, and here is a more detailed article.
Implement the two-minute rule: if an email takes less than two minutes to address, handle it immediately
a. It keeps your inbox clean and prevents small tasks from piling up
Set aside email time: instead of checking your emails sporadically throughout the day, designate specific times to read and respond to control your distractional energy
a. This could be the first thing in the morning, after lunch, and before you close shop for the day
Proactively deal with email and implement automation
Use folders and filters to organize your inbox with folders and filters
a. Except for my newsletter, of course
Three: Stop Overthinking Your Processes
This is the biggest one where we can’t just can’t quite tighten the nut! You feel me on this, right? There is so much to unpack here, and I have a category dedicated to this topic on my blog site. But I have a few simple ideas to impart right here.
Stop overthinking getting everything into an app
a. If you are creating new processes or improving some, consider building them in a spreadsheet or doc
b. We can get overwhelmed or immersed in an app, even if we know it well, and this may be the thing that stops us from starting
If you are going to do something a second time, document it - right then and there
I took several years - yes, years - to build a file remediation workflow that I love and trust. I built it in a spreadsheet, and I feel I will always be iterating on it. Whenever I take on a new clean-up/catch-up file, I have the spreadsheet master and the spreadsheet client ones open. They are just hanging about on a second screen where I can make changes in the moment. That’s how I built it in the first place.
I now have bits and parts of it in Financial Cents, my practice management app. I use the spreadsheet for all the crazy tabs I need and FC for the milestone tasks and client communications/requests. You can combine a spreadsheet's simplicity with an app's power and automation. It doesn’t have to be all or one.
Four: Just Buy The Dang Thing
If you see a thing you’ll need soon, buy it now. Or if you have a thing that will die off at a really inconvenient time, buy it now. Don’t be like Kellie…
Five: Be Brave In Your Relationships
Me, giving advice on relationships, how brassy-bold! I’m certainly no relationship expert, but I mostly succeed in long-term, open, honest, and largely conflict-free relationships. Of course, I have issues from time to time - with family, friends, clients, and colleagues - but I usually survive them by deploying three tactics.
Apologize if I have a hand in the conflict (which I always do; it’s never a one-way issue - except for my starter spouse, of course…).
a. The apology may not be accepted, but it’s always good policy to send it out quickly and sincerely
If an uncomfortable situation or conversation comes up, have it rather than deflect it
a. Avoidance is rarely a successful policy, and it will only prolong the pain and possibly magnify it
Caring what others think about me
a. Contrary to the popular notion, there is always merit and growth in leaning into what the people around you think about you
Six: Deal Swiftly With Snail Mail
If you’re already touching a piece of physical mail (it still exists), deal with it. I often do this in my car before leaving the mailbox so I can come home and have everything dumped off or ready to action before I get distracted by - you know, all the things at home (I have a home office, not an office office)…
Sort by junk mail and the real stuff
a. Junk mail goes directly into a recycling pile
Open all of it at once
Put the envelopes in the recycling pile
Sift through mail to see what is actually real vs disguised as real
Put fake-real mail in the recycling pile
Sort out the info only vs the take action mail
Take a pic of info only mail if you need to keep it and put it in the recycling pile
a. Preferably using Dext or Hubdoc or some such receipt capture app so it gets filed properly and backed up for you
Decide if action mail can be actioned from a pic and an app or if you need to bring it back to where you will actually do something with it
a. Ensure it stares you in the face so you don’t put off completing the action quickly
Put all the recycling mail in the recycling bin
a. Ours is in a cabinet outside by our driveway, so mine doesn’t even make it into a holding bin somewhere - I am done and dusted with it before I hit the chaotic greeting from my insecurely attached doggos
Doing things in the moment can be hard.
The key is to stop overthinking and implement automation, policies, and systems that enable you to complete tasks and deal with issues immediately. We don’t want to keep staring at the nut, perhaps even getting out the wrench, only to keep coming back to tighten it!
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Xero Bookkeepers' Community Lunch & Learn
Wednesday, June 12, 2024
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Join us for a luncheon to explore the benefits and functionalities of cloud accounting with Xero. Gain insights on streamlining workflows, enhancing efficiency, and providing real-time financial visibility for your clients. Connect with fellow bookkeepers, share experiences, and foster valuable professional relationships while enjoying a full lunch spread.
Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to cloud accounting, this event promises to be both informative and enjoyable. Please secure your spot at your earliest convenience, as spaces are limited.
Simply yours, Kellie :-}
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