Pick One Thing…Each Week

I’d be willing to bet there are at least three, four or five things that happen to you nearly every day, or, at least every week, that drive you nuts. You get tired of rehashing the same problem or challenge over and over and over again.

In fact, when it happens, you do the ol’, “Crap…gotta deal with that, now…again?!”

Today, an easy way for you to end the frustration loop. It is, after all, a loop. And you and I both know the definition of doing the same thing over and over again (a loop) is supposedly “insanity.” While I’d call it “life,” there is a way to get out of the loop and end your frustration. But, you’ve gotta do this or something like it to actually get out of the loop.

Here’s how to manage these things over time:

1. Identify these little annoyances when they come up. Write them down.

2. Each time one comes up, if the answer is always the same, delegate it to a team member. Let ‘em know they are now responsible. And, hold that team member accountable. Tell them you will and then actually do it.

3. If the answer is different each time, have a team member help you compile the possible answers in written format (you speak, they write) and then delegate it! And, hold that team member accountable. Tell them you will and then actually do it.

4. Finally, memorialize this new process in your operations binder and inform your team about it. (You do have an ops binder, right? You know, the thing that tells how to run your practice )

The next time it happens, do one of two things:

1. If you can, immediately stop and write it down (then follow steps 1-3), or, immediately delegate it (see #2 and #3 above.)

2. If you can’t stop mid-stream, ask a team member to remind you about it later – have them write a note for you and then later, be sure you go through steps 2-4 above.

If you just get rid of one little annoyance each week, that continuously frustrate you, by shedding one per week, you’ll be far less stressed in as little as a few weeks!