About a year ago, after returning home from a trip to the grocery store, I threw a fit. Yes, a grown man, me, threw a fit. More like an adult tantrum. I didn’t hammer the floor with my fists and kick stuff. But I wanted to. Juvenile, eh?
But, before you judge me, I know you have, too. C’mon, admit it. It’s OK. We’re all adults here. And, if you think you haven’t, I’ll ask someone you work with or your spouse to get the real truth. I know the most mild-mannered among you have gotten pissed enough to spit nails…over something seemingly minimal, right?
Now that we’ve established the simple fact we both throw fits, here’s why mine ended up saving me HOURS, and by now, perhaps DAYS of time. And, why it was strategic in nature.
OK, so here’s the full story…
For years, I’ve detested the whole idea of shopping. Grocery shopping is probably my least favorite. Now, I love to cook, so you’d think I wouldn’t mind grocery shopping. But, truth be told, I can’t stand it. Aside from that, it’s a huge time suck. And that fact alone is what sets me off. I cannot stand wasting time. I mean, I could write an article or a postcard or answer old emails during the time I waste driving back and forth, stomping around inside, hissing at the produce guy, staring down the poor stock boy and nearly running over old ladies in the aisle. Yes, I’m a bad grocery shopper. I don’t want to be there.
So, early last year, I walked into my house, dropped the groceries on the counter (cracking a few eggs and bruising pears in the process, I’m sure), I pronounced to my wife, “I’m DONE. Got it? I’m NEVER going to another grocery store again unless it’s required to eat. Otherwise, that’s your gig from now on. I HATE those places!”
You gotta understand, my wife is used to this sort of thing. No doubt, I’m the King of my Castle, but she’s the Emperor of my Universe. She just smiled and said, “Whatever, Jer…”
I then went on a good 5-minute dissertation about how much of my precious time it wastes, how much I earn per hour and how I can’t stand to go to the store and on and on.
Long story short, I’ve not been to the store since except one time when my brother was here to visit. Granted, I could’ve accomplished the same thing had we sat down and had an intelligent, non-6-year-old-boy discussion. But, the dramatics wouldn’t have been there. And, it wouldn’t make nearly as good of a story.
So the moral here? If you’re into the “happiness” thing like Dr. Paddi Lund, or, you’re just sick and tired of doing things you don’t want to do or you have a legit concern about wasting invaluable time, which was really my whole deal with grocery shopping (it’s a non-paying activity that seems to cost more and more all the time – “we don’t have inflation” yeah, right…), then sit down with someone and get it re-assigned.
Oh, and if you don’t have a personal assistant to get things done for you, I’d encourage you to look into that. Not sure if you need one? If you’re doing a lot of non-income producing activities outside or inside your practice that you could delegate, why aren’t you? Then, invest that time wisely as I’ve done, working on your boat, your 4-wheeler, drinking beer with your buddies on Fridays or whatever.
All joking aside, just imagine what 1 to 2 hours re-captured every week would mean to your productivity! If you invested that 2 hours working ON your business, I have no doubts your income would jump dramatically.
For me, I focus on what I do best and get paid the most to do and delegate the rest. It’s just like expanded function DAs in dental offices. MOST dentists don’t use them nowhere near as much as they could or should. Consequently, their incomes suffer. (Oh, and the excuses are the best – “they don’t do it as good as I do,” or “she’s not as fast I as am,” etc. Duh, Doc! Pull your head out and TRAIN THEM once and speed them up or go do something else productive to make money while you delegate! Make it work! The reason they’re not as good as you is because you haven’t trained them to be better!)
Reminds me of my old friend Ron LeGrand’s saying, “The less I do, the more I make.”
PS. I’m not responsible for your spouse kicking your butt when you throw your fit, ok?