Developing Systems for Your Practice

When we first start, and things are slow, it might seem silly to establish your systems in a way that allows you to scale. Honestly, there is not a better time than when you are slow and getting started to put those practices in place. Once your business picks up and gets busy, it may be much harder to carve out the time for the administrative tasks of your business. Having systems in place from the beginning will help you to be more efficient. 


Here are 4 questions to get you thinking about different types of systems you could establish in your practice:

1. What technology can I use in order to create automation for any task that is completed more than once in my business? Things that can be automated - email templates, a process for onboarding clients, email automation, form submissions, managing finances for tax purposes, calculations for setting aside money for tax payments, an EHR, etc... 
2. How can I create a system to maintain organization of my paper and digital files? I have a huge file drawer of paper resources that I use with clients - everything from communication skills handouts, to local resources - that I have organized by category (Assessments, Assertiveness, ACT, etc...). I write the category on the tab, and on the front of the file folder I write the title of each document within the folder. They live in the file drawer in alphabetical order. The list on the front, helps me to know what is in there at a glance. In my GSuite drive, I have Folders for major categories and sub-folders within for different administrative materials I need to maintain. For example, I have a main Folder for Continuing Education. Within that there is a sub-folder for each CE offering I have done or am working on. Within that sub-folder are all the required pieces of documentation I have to maintain as a provider. 
3. What procedures can I create video trainings for, so when I add an assistant to help me manage the office, it is easy to on-board them? These videos can also be an easy resource for them should they have questions. 
4. What procedures can I write down in an orderly fashion such that anyone that comes on can execute the procedure exactly the way I have been doing it? For questions 3 & 4, it may seem silly when it is you and you only have a few clients, but it will save you so much time later down the road. I promise - your future self will thank you for it!