Is it time to burn your company? No, I’m not talking about setting fire to your building like in Office Space, and this post has nothing to do with getting insurance money for some fast cash.
photo by Al_HikesAZ's
I’m talking about a controlled burn.
Controlled burns are used in forestry as a method to “reduce fuel buildup and decrease the likelihood of serious hotter fires.” Maybe its time to do a controlled burn with your company, to clear out the underbrush that’s getting in the way of your growth.
Burn Your Old Files
The longer you are at any job the more you accumulate a pile of junk. Old files stack up, in-boxes overflow, receipts and scraps of paper litter your drawers. Take a few hours, or even a whole day, to go through your entire office and trash what you no longer need. If you’ve put those files onto your computer do you really need to keep the storage devices they came on? Do you have piles of old computer equipment that can’t even be used any longer hanging out, cluttering your workspace. Clear it out!
Burn Your Old Systems
Old systems can clog a smooth running business engine faster than just about anything. There are certainly advantages to sticking with a system you know, but new business tools are being created constantly that can help you be more streamlined, mobile and efficient. Try and view your systems from a mindset of a new employee. Are there things you could be doing faster or better? Take a broad look at how your business progresses through work and see if you can simplify and speed up your systems using new tools and technology.
Burn Your Old Mindset
Working at a job for awhile can also get your mind in a rut. When you first started you proabably had lots of great ideas for ways to do things better and faster. Bureaucracy or an overload of work can strip that mindset away from you pretty quickly. You need to get that mentality back. What are ways you can change your thinking to have a more positive state of mind towards your job? What are some good ideas you had at first that have been sitting on the back burner? How can you motivate your employees or coworkers to make your company better for yourselves and your customers?
If you keep meaning to do something like this and never can find the time, schedule it out in the future. Pick a date on your calendar and make it “Burn Day.” Then don’t let anything else get scheduled for that day. Shut everything down until you let this fire do its work. Clear out the junk that keeps getting in your way and see new growth appear in its place.
Its all about the fundamentals. No matter what sport you play, no matter what level you play at, you are drilled endlessly on the fundamentals. Athletes know everything builds on the basic knowledge and skills of their sport.
When I was a wee child of only 7 my dad started me on keyboarding lessons. He envisioned a future where everyone used computers all the time – and he was right. So, I was drilled on one of the fundamental basics of interfacing with computers – typing. Be a fast typer has been invaluable to me and my business over the years.
We spend so much time typing every day that even a small increase in typing speed could save us loads of time in the long run (especially if you are still hunting and pecking for each key, ahem). I’ve found a great and fun way to work on your fundamentals – get over to Addicting Games and try out Word Frenzy. Or, if rabbits and monsters aren’t your thing, try the classic Space Invaders turned typing game. However you get them in don’t forget the fundamentals!
I’m currently swamped with work right now, so I thought I’d turn the “blogable” file upside down and see what falls out. Here are some great links which, though they may not be the newest thing on the internet, are still especially amazing.
A robot that does calligraphy? Affirmative. This robot is rewriting the entire Bible, one character at a time. Next up: outsourcing all things that take patience to robots.
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Don’t read this post. Instead, think of the closest access you have to outside and get there as quickly as possible. Winter is approaching quickly so now is your chance to get out before dark. Take a break from work and get outside!
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Unfortunately this post was not easy to write. Sadly many authors these days still don’t even have websites (Tom Clancy – where you at?) and those that do often have very poor ones built long ago using outdated code, tables and animated gifs (best-selling author Ken Follett has a pretty poor showing). However, as more and more authors realize how important a presence on the web is new author sites are being built, and they’re getting better. A great author website reflects the nature of the writer’s style, helps fans get to know the author better, provides an easy way for authors to connect to their audience, and remains easy to navigate.
If you are an author and you need a better website (one that would make this list) please contact me today. I can help you create a custom-designed site that is easy for you to update yourself. Let’s not let this industry wallow in 1998 any longer – its time for authors to embrace good web design!
For inspiration and to offer a bit of hope here are a few stand-out websites for authors I’ve found on the web:
Absolutely stunning site that makes great use of a minimal design approach and limited color scheme.
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