How’s It Going So Far?

It’s officially springtime and while many people use January 1 as a date to spur them into action, I find Spring is when my brain really kicks into gear and I get down to business.

In order for me to get myself moving I first need to set the stage and clear away the winter cobwebs with a good spring cleaning. What I’ve noticed is that I tend to do the same things to help my business and life grow as I do in the garden.

Here are four things that you can do this spring for your business, life and garden to make them thrive.

1. Clean up the debris. First you have to set the stage. In your garden you get rid of the branches that fell during storms, leaves that came down after the last raking and the shells from the acorns that the squirrels munched on during the winter. Now is also a great time to take a look at your desk, workspace and to-do list and get rid of the junk. Ask yourself if the things you have around you are things that will help your business thrive or if they are things they just ended up there?
2. Prepare for new growth. You break up the earth and spread fertilizer in the garden. Now is also the time to prepare your workspace, mind and calendar. Are there programs that you want to invest in to help you grow? Are there things that you are in the middle of that you want to wrap up so that you are ready to move on? Are the things you are doing and have around you fostering creativity or stifling it?
3. See what’s growing. You check to make sure that your plants have survived the winter and that you still like what you have growing. Now is the time to look around and make sure that the projects that you have lined up still make sense for you. Was the idea a good one when it was planted? Is it still a good idea? Is it time to let it go? Is it time to give it all you’ve got to make it flourish?
4. Decide what you want to grow and see if it fits. None of us have endless space, and even if you do have room, the space doesn’t always suit the things you want to grow there. So, while you look over the things that you want to do, see if they fit into your plan. Do you have the time, space and environment you need to devote to these projects to make them grow? Does it make sense for you to spend your time and energy on them?

When you give your calendar, to-do list and things a good spring cleaning you will set yourself up for a business and a life that thrives.

But there’s one more piece … do you have the help you need? My garden will not look the way I want it to without someone to help me mow the lawn, move rocks and keep up the beds. My business would not function the way I want it to if I don’t get the help I need there too. Some of the help I use is a coach, a support network, equipment and training in skills that I may be lacking or want to brush up on.

What help do you need to make your business and life run better? What skills do you want to learn or sharpen? Go ahead and share your thoughts below.