You’ve cleaned out your car, donated your out-of-date duds, and washed your windows. Before you check off spring cleaning from your list, have you thought about cleaning up your business? It’s one place many don’t think to check for clutter. As we all know, clutter can grow quietly and quickly, taking on a life of its own. For some, it can be everywhere, from our office to our mental space. And it’s not as harmless as you might think.
The problem with clutter
Clutter can:
- Prevent you from taking action. A recent study published in Current Psychology found a substantial link between clutter problems and procrastination across all ages.
- Give you a case of the blahs. In the same study, clutter problems among older adults were associated with life dissatisfaction.
- Lead to weight gain. Clutter can increase our bodies’ levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, that leads to a “higher appetite for junk food.”
The findings, according to the New York Times, add to a growing body of evidence that clutter can negatively impact mental well-being, particularly among women.
Mental clutter
Similarly, research by University of Toronto’s Lynn Hasher proposes that “mental clutter,” a state of mind in which our brains are clogged up with too much irrelevant information, leads us to be slower and less efficient in processing information.
Not sure if you have mental clutter? Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you have a running to-do list in your head?
- Do you often forget one of the 10 different logins you have for your myriad business systems?
- Do you spend too much time searching through your email for a document you know your client sent but you can never find?
If you answered yes to any of the above, it’s time to streamline.
Ready to de-clutter?
Clearly, cutting through the clutter can benefit your physical health, cognitive abilities and mental health. Using a small business management platform like HoneyBook can help you manage your business in one place with to-do lists for every project. Online proposals, brochures and online invoices keep your operations running smoothly. HoneyBook takes all the information you carry around in your head and organizes it, freeing up your mental space so you can do other things.
As event planner Marley Majcher says, “The opposite of joy is nagging loose ends that tie you up in knots, keeping you from doing what you love. UGH. I LOVE creating magical events, I do NOT love unnecessary admin work and sales steps. Thanks to HoneyBook’s new brochure features, we’re fine tuning our sales engine so it can run as seamlessly as possible!”
10 ways to clean up your business clutter
If you need more ideas on how to clean up this spring, check out our community’s spring cleaning plans for inspiration.
I plan to take my in-depth analysis from last year and chop away at everything that’s not bringing happiness or a positive monetary gain. Then magnify what’s left for a happier, more financially successful business this year. It will allow me to do more of the work I enjoy most while also bringing in more revenue which inevitably leads to more peace of mind.
Preston Lee
Millo
I’m going to create automatic workflows in my responses to clients using a client workflow automation software! I’m expecting a baby at the end of April and this will ensure everyone gets an immediate response with all the information they need. It will give me peace of mind and allow me to continue working while I’m actually on maternity leave.
Twyla Jones
I’m going to declutter my workspace, update my workflows and create email templates to increase efficiencies. This will give me more time to focus on other priorities, not having to worry that I am missing something.
Jaime Engebretson
J’Aime Events
I’m doing a deep dive into my digital stuff to freshen things up… I’ll be updating my workflows, email templates, online contracts, brochures, etc. Because THIS is the year I go 100% digital, and can finally get rid of the paper client files that take up soooo much room. The less I have to do over + over again, and the more automated I can become, the more free time I’ll have to spend on something other than work. Liiike… heading outdoors for some awesome hikes in the middle of the day, just because I can. (And I won’t be drowning in stacks of unnecessary paper, either!)
Michelle Simmons
The Suitcase Studio
Organize all emails into folders so I can file things away as they are answered and my inbox feels less cluttered! I’d rather my email feel like a closet full of clean clothes instead of a laundry basket full of things that still need to get washed.
Heather Smith
Sea of Roses
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The biggest change we’re continuing to make is systematizing EVERYTHING possible, even if it’s only a piece of the process. We’ve been creating checklists for every aspect of the intake-to-close process, adopted new plug-ins to make follow-up a snap, happen more frequently and make the user experience seamless and fast. Part of that has been massively spring cleaning our packages in our HoneyBook brochures, ditching what no longer serves us and adding magical images whenever humanly possible.
Marley Majcher
The Party Goddess
I’m moving into my new house we’ve been building since July (way longer than expected, ha!) I am SO excited to have a fresh office space. My bedroom, living space and office have been one room, and I cannot wait to have a fresh start. I like separating my sleeping space from my office space so my personal and business life have a definite separation.
Lianna Lanni
Elle Lily
This season, I’m streamlining my product and service offerings. I’ve removed a couple of custom painting offerings from my website, so that I can focus on painting watercolor crests, watercolor map art prints, and make space to create products for crazy dog mamas like me this summer! Cleaning up my offerings will allow me to do a better job on those three focuses, and will let me have more time to devote to the students who take my online watercolor courses as well. This is already bringing me more joy as I have so much more mental clarity! It’s also giving me time to focus on not only what I love, but also what my tribe has been asking me to create! Win, win 🙂
Jessica Peddicord
Simply Jessica Marie
Declutter my office space and organize all my files and hard drives to get ready for the wedding season coming up. I also just really want my space to make me feel good so when I am working in my office, it “sparks joy.” This is going to give me such a good feeling every time I’m in my office, I love working in a clean, and cute inspiring place. I truly believe it’ll help me with my productivity. I’m always in there, and get easily distracted or I’ll procrastinate editing or emailing so I can clean.
Dawn Jarvis
Dawn Photo
Taking the plunge to get my business financials in order so I know where my business stands! Before, it was a huge source of anxiety for me so tackling it head on has been a lifesaver. I will understand how my business is doing financially and I wont have to stress about the little things.
Alexa Fuhrman-Sherman
Boudoir by Alexa
Clean up, spark happiness
Physical and mental clutter take more of a toll on your health, business and productivity than you might think. Clean up by identifying specific areas in your life to organize and make an action plan. And streamline your business with business management tools like HoneyBook to free up precious mental space.
