We all have systems for many, many things – even if we don’t really think of them as “systems”.  We’ve been talking about systems in my house a lot lately… my fiancé is living with me for a few months while we get the new house we bought remodeled.  The kitchen seems to be the biggest source of discussion – apparently my systems are feeling a little too complicated for him and I don’t understand why. 🙂  (Isn’t it always the way?)

Let’s use the dishwasher as an example.  I have lived with this dishwasher for 7 years and know the most efficient way to load it.  I have my son 80% trained on how I like it done – Craig is at about 50% but trying… You simply get fewer glasses falling over and breaking if the tall glasses are on the right and the short on the left.  You fit more plates if all the dinner plates are on the left and salad on the right on the bottom.  I’m not being anal-retentive, I just understand my dishwasher.

Craig was a bachelor for 16 years.  His way of dealing with a dishwasher is to throw things in where ever and when it’s getting full, organize it better, get a few more things in and then turn it on.  My brains says “you are doing extra work if you have to reorganize – why not load it efficiently the first time?”

We won’t even get into the “active” and “inactive” food system in the fridge… 😉

Basically a “system” is a way you do things when you do them more than once.

So have you stopped to consider the systems you have in your art licensing business?  There are more processes than you probably realize.  There is a way to log onto the internet and check Facebook, LinkedIn and any other social media sites you frequent.  There is a way you go about creating your art and getting it ready to send to manufacturers.  Maybe you have a system for your book keeping – every Friday you open QuickBooks and enter your expenditures and income.  How do you update your website?

Most of us are what people call solo-preneurs – we do everything in our business on our own, or, solo.  It becomes hard to delegate tasks when how they are done are all in your head.

When I went through the eMyth Group Mastery program I started documenting how I did things with the idea that I could hand it to someone else to do.  Maybe I’d hire an assistant or heaven forbid, what if I got really sick and someone had to help me out?

I discovered that by documenting my systems I made myself more efficient.

I didn’t have to wrack my brain to remember how I did something that I only do from time to time – I could refer to my notes. When you write things down you also see ways to make things go more quickly – if you do, update your notes!

I encourage you to look at what you do regularly and take the time to write it down.  It can help you in a multitude of ways! To read more about systems, read this blog post by eMyth called 5 Steps for Documenting Your Systems.

Wishing you much success!

– Tara Reed

P.S.  I have no plan to document my dishwasher system – the ridicule that would ensue from my teenager and Craig would be more than this artist could handle! 😉