What Systems are Working Well for You?
October 29, 2007
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Instead of getting depressed today about how far I have to go to get organized and establish much needed systems to run my life, family, and business better, I decided to look at what systems ARE working and then see how I can tweak them up for other areas.
Here’s one very simple system that my friends and I created this Fall for developing a neighborhood preschool program:
1. Invited 8 moms to participate, each mom took 1 month to “be in charge”
2. Held an informal meeting with moms to decide the curriculum what we were going to teach in our 1x a week class
3. Made a calendar and planned fieldtrips for the year
4. Created a rotating preschool box of materials and supplies
5. It cost $8 ($8 for preschool for the year?? Well, the supplies…fieldtrips will be more and if you want to do anything specific when it’s your turn, you pay for it.)
6. It took 2 hours to set it up, 1 hour for 1 Mom to shop for the supplies and about 30 min to make the calendar
So, what does preschool have to do with business? Everything. If I can figure out how to get a group of 8 moms to run a preschool to help and support each other in a very simple, fun, educational and low cost way, then I can figure out how to succeed in business. Realizing that this preschool “system” is working gives me confidence…
We’re still experimenting with systems here on the blog, but there’s going to be more consistency real soon…it’ll make it easier for us and also help our audience know what to expect. Fairy Godmother posts will be Wednesdays and Featured Interviews on Thursday and News of the Kingdom on Fridays…that’s where YOU get a chance to share your great news, a brag board…your time to tell us what’s great or what you need next to move things forward. Email us with your news for Friday’s post today. We’ll feature about 5 Startup Princesses’ news and more can openly comment. It’ll be a great way to keep in touch better in support and friendship.
Today’s Magic Wand: Analyze a system that is working with you, it doesn’t have to be anything complex, it can be “dinner is always at 6pm,” what makes it work to have dinner everyday at that time? that’s a start. Now, what can you do to create a system in your startup, just one that will make things more simple?
Please share what systems are working, maybe we can borrow one of your systems! 
I, too, have been working on a new system to be able to do everything that’s appearing for me to do. I have come up with the following system. Since I also want to work on my art (I have two galleries wanting holiday show participation), here’s what I’m doing now.
Since there are 7 days in the week and I have magnanimously given myself one whole day for decompressing, balancing and spiritual pursuits, 3 days a week are business days 3 days are art days. On the business days, I begin at 8 am with a class at the YMCA then come home and begin work around 10am. That is when I make my first round of phone calls, check email the first time, take care of any fires and plan my projects for the rest of the day. This is when I hope to work on my blog. About 1:00pm I check email again (a real stretch since I currently check every 10 minutes) and make sure my East Coast projects are still humming along, handle whatever needs to be handled there.
On art days, I still go to the Y, come home, get comfy, check email and then head out to the studio where I work until lunch, check in with the world and work back in the studio till 5ish. After dinner, I come in, check in and blog a little on my DreamSpace blog.
We’ll see how this works. This is my intention and on the surface it makes perfect sense. Any suggestions will be welcomed, too!
DeBorah
DeBorah-great to hear you’re establishing a great routine for your personal schedule that includes exercise, good for you. Tell us what systems “run” by themselves or as best as possible for you?