Spring has sprung! Depending on where in Canada you are located, it might not feel like it, but the calendar doesn’t lie – spring is here. As homeowners across Canada are taking the opportunity to air out, declutter and clean up their homes, small businesses should take note and do the same for the workplace.
Clean up your finances
Many small business owners rely on personal as well as small business debt to manage cash flow or fund key projects and investments. Managing multiple loans at varying rates, dealing with multiple financial companies can feel messy. Consolidating your debt is a smart and quick way to streamline your debt, saving time and money. Consider a convenient online small business loan – if you qualify, you could have funds in your account as early as the next business day to start paying down your credit cards.
Organize your email
We know that 30 minutes is hard to find in the day of a busy small business owner – but the reality is, we lose hours every month searching for information or sorting through junk mail. Spam can be overwhelming, and a cluttered inbox can increase the risk of missing important communications. Take a few minutes to unsubscribe from promotional emails, turn off email notifications from social media, and implement a system that is easier to manage. Juggling multiple email addresses? Look into forwarding or other options to consolidate and streamline incoming messages.
Declutter your desk
Workspace clutter can be a distraction and a source of added stress. However it is surprisingly quick and easy to declutter your desk. Start by removing everything and giving the tabletop a nice wipe down. You’ll feel less stress immediately. Then, start putting things back… but not all of it. Every item you removed from your desk should be subject to intense scrutiny. That trinket you picked up at a tradeshow last year – do you really need it, or is it just taking up valuable space on your desk? When it comes to files and paperwork, take a few moments to go through everything one by one, recycling and filing accordingly.
…And your desktop
While getting your physical workspace organized, don’t neglect your virtual workspace either. If your desktop is a collage of files, photos and icons, you might want to consider taking 20 minutes to file away your digital files for easy access down the road. Tip: Look for duplicate or unwanted files to delete for good. Freeing up space on your hard drive will improve speed, performance and productivity.
Rejuvenate your team
Spring is a great time to get your team motivated. Everyone is already excited about the warm weather to come, so why not tap into that excitement for work? Host a team-building event or start planning an offsite. Some key themes to focus on with your workforce include sales, customer service, creativity and innovation, internal collaboration or philanthropy and social good. Whatever your objective, some time away from the office can help reinforce important working relationships and offer new perspectives, whether you are a team of 5 or a team of 50.
Rekindle old relationships
February and March are vacation season for Canadian professionals – this starts to taper off as we head into April. It’s a great time to email or call former customers and clients and catch up. It never hurts to ask what’s new with you, and is there anything we can help with? These simple but very powerful questions can open up a world of possibility.
Bring some green into your workspace
Adding some greenery to your store or office – whether through larger plants or small desktop flower pots, can literally breathe new life into your workspace. There are health and psychological benefits to keeping plants, not to mention aesthetic. Here at Lendified, green is our favourite colour.
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