A Comprehensive Protocol to Refresh Yourself and Your Practice
Kelley Mulhern, DC
For many people, spring is "the most wonderful time of the year!" It's a season of growth, life – and cleaning. When was the last time you did a comprehensive spring cleaning of your office in three dimensions?
Cleaning Out Your Physical Space: 6 Steps
This is the type of spring cleaning most people think about, if they think about it at all. Spring is a great time to clean the physical space of your office, but it should go beyond soap and water.
Step 1: Get Dirty! Schedule a weekend to steam clean the carpets, scrub the grout, wash the windows, replace the air filters, and wipe down the walls and baseboards. Get all the corners, cobwebs and bugs in the light fixtures. No one wants to receive care in a dirty office!
Step 2: Clear It Out. Evaluate what can be thrown out, replaced, or moved into storage in order to de-clutter each room. If it's not being used regularly, find a place to put it away. A more organized space can help improve mental clarity, too!
Step 3: A New Look. Review your décor with a critical eye. Is it time for a fresh coat of paint? New accent pieces? Perhaps it's time for a complete overhaul of your artwork. Even changing your light bulbs can make a huge difference! If interior decorating isn't one of your skill sets, ask a friend or a professional for their opinion and help.
Step 4: Inspect Your Gadgets. Inspect all of your equipment and furniture, looking for tears, wear, stains and other damage. This is the perfect opportunity to have annual routine maintenance performed on all of your equipment. (And make sure to keep an up-to-date maintenance log for every piece of equipment in your office!)
Step 5: Clean Your Files. Properly destroy any patient files that you're no longer required to keep (see your state regulations for guidelines). Archive physical and digital files of inactive patients. This annual organization and culling can save space. It also helps keep your database up-to-date and accurate.
Step 6: Review Your Paperwork. Is all of your paperwork branded and professional? Does any of it need to be changed? Do your forms accurately reflect what you do in your practice? For example, if you're routinely crossing out unused portions of your exam form – or writing in the same exam component that's not on your exam form – it's time to revise that document. Are your forms clear and centered, or are you using blurry copies of copies ... of copies?
Bonus Tip: Pretend you're a new patient seeing your practice for the very first time. Is the parking lot clean and well-marked? Can people easily see your signage, or has it been overgrown by foliage? Do you need to refresh the landscaping along the walkway? Are the walls, windows and floors clean, or do they look faded, dated or dirty? Does it smell clean or musty? How you take care of your physical space sends a clear message to your patients!
Cleaning Out Your Virtual Space: 3 Steps
Step 1: Clean Your Virtual Home. Your website is the virtual home of your practice. When was the last time you performed a total quality-control check on your website? Have all of the updates been installed? Do all the links to external websites and articles work? If you offer free downloads on your website, is that process working properly? Does each page on your website load correctly? If you have videos on your website, do they still play and should they be updated? Are your automated posts or emails being sent out as scheduled?
Step 2: Clean Your Hangouts. Your social media platforms are the places you "hang out" virtually. They're also some of the most common places people look to find you or your practice. Take some time to check your profiles for accuracy, completeness and branding. Update your profile pictures and review your privacy settings to ensure they're how you want them.
Step 3: Scrub Your Network. Make sure your antivirus signature files are all current. Update your firewall software and audit your firewall rules. (Firewall rule changes are usually handled by an IT consultant.) If you haven't changed your passwords recently, this is a good time to do that, too.
Bonus Tip: Don't forget that much of your virtual spring cleaning can be outsourced if you don't have the time, interest or expertise!
Cleaning Out Your Mental Space: 3 Steps
A life without mental clarity is burdened by confusion, frantic activity and low productivity. Take control of your mental space and give it a good scrubbing!
Step 1: Personal Clarity. Reflect on your values, your purpose and what you want to achieve in your life. Be crystal-clear on your personal and professional mission, vision, values and goals. Release those things (or people) in your life that aren't in alignment with who you want to be.
Step 2: Goal Check-up. There are many ways to set goals. Find a way that makes sense for you and get it done. Are your goals congruent with your purpose, mission and vision? Are you making steady progress toward your goals, or do you need to make some changes? Regularly review, update and clarify your personal and practice goals.
Step 3: De-Clutter Your Mind. This can be challenging, and no one solution works for everyone. Regular meditation helps some people reach greater clarity. For others, keeping lists works to provide structure and organization to their mind. Journaling, prayer, exercise, brainstorming with trusted friends, and taking downtime to recharge your batteries can all reduce the chaos in your mind.
Bonus Tip: Use this time to explore your mental environment. Do you need to work on improving your attitude or self-talk? What about being more congruent with your values?
In the midst of a busy life, it can be challenging to make the time for spring cleaning. Instead of seeing it as a time expense, realize it's an investment in the future of your practice. Make the commitment, block out your schedule, and work through it one step at a time. Imagine how amazing it'll feel when it's all done!
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