My dog, Maggie gets quite anxious when I take her on flights with me. So, the Vet prescribed medication to help her to relax before we leave for the airport.

I usually keep everything for her, including her medication in a specific location. However, after using it the first time, I decided to store the bottle of the medication somewhere with the idea that “I only need it when I take Maggie with me on a trip.”

 So, when we were getting ready for our next trip, I couldn’t remember where I had put the medication. I spent WAY TOO MUCH time looking for those pills. I remembered thinking that putting it somewhere “different” would be an excellent idea. But it became very clear after looking… and looking… and looking for it, that it wasn’t the smartest decision I had made!!

Keeping everything (Maggie’s treats, dog food, monthly pill, etc.) in one location makes it very easy to locate what I need. So, when I deviated from this, it wasted time, caused frustration, and was unproductive.

It reminded me of the value of establishing one consistent process to do something and sticking with it. It was obvious because having a new process every time I do something causes a big waste of time and often leads to frustration. Even if the process is not the most efficient, performing it the same way each time reduces errors, confusion, and time.

We at My COO Resources and Aldridge Kerr encourage our Clients to first establish a consistent method (i.e., process) to perform their tasks. It is the first step towards efficiency and effectiveness.

Want help in creating consistency? Sign up to take the Simple Start Assessments at www.mycooresources.com, then upgrade your membership to begin solving those operational issues identified.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact me at CharleneA@mycooresources.com. And check out our blogs and previous newsletters and/or emails at http://www.mycooresources.com/?page_id=324

– Charlene Aldridge
CharleneA@mycooresources.com