One of the most successful things I ever did was set up a database that handles formulations and raw materials. I started it some time early in 2000 and after various iterations and false starts, created the version that I use now in 2004.
This has had many benefits for myself and for the company I was working for at the time. Interestingly, I think the fact that it is a database is the least interesting and the least useful thing about it. Because in order to get the modest benefits that flow from having your information in the form of a database, you have to radically alter the way you work. You need to systemise what you are doing to a very large extent. And on looking back and reflecting on it, it is the adoption of a systematic way of working that has been most useful. I was particularly grateful of this when I was made redundant and had to generate some income sources pretty damned quick. It turned out that having a pile of readily accessible data enabled me to come up with products that I could sell, products that were very valuable to some customers, very quickly.
This may in fact have made all the difference to being able to become independent relatively quickly.
This was made particularly clear because at the same time I also attempted to sell other services, which were much more what I thought I was good at. But it turned out that I had great difficulty in selling my skills if I couldn't turn them into simple routines that produce a clear end point. (I haven't given up on this yet by the way, if you happen to be a client who has worked out what I am talking about.)
So the conclusion I have reached is that being systematic and turning activities into clearly definable routines is the key to getting done that which I want to get done. Basically by systemising my activities I can achieve a lot more.
Here are the three key advantages-
- it gives me more time to think if activities are routine
- it gives me more control, because I can plan things a lot more easily if I don't have to think out the details
- I can work out better ways of doing things
I'll be going into more detail in future blog posts.
This has had many benefits for myself and for the company I was working for at the time. Interestingly, I think the fact that it is a database is the least interesting and the least useful thing about it. Because in order to get the modest benefits that flow from having your information in the form of a database, you have to radically alter the way you work. You need to systemise what you are doing to a very large extent. And on looking back and reflecting on it, it is the adoption of a systematic way of working that has been most useful. I was particularly grateful of this when I was made redundant and had to generate some income sources pretty damned quick. It turned out that having a pile of readily accessible data enabled me to come up with products that I could sell, products that were very valuable to some customers, very quickly.
This may in fact have made all the difference to being able to become independent relatively quickly.
This was made particularly clear because at the same time I also attempted to sell other services, which were much more what I thought I was good at. But it turned out that I had great difficulty in selling my skills if I couldn't turn them into simple routines that produce a clear end point. (I haven't given up on this yet by the way, if you happen to be a client who has worked out what I am talking about.)
So the conclusion I have reached is that being systematic and turning activities into clearly definable routines is the key to getting done that which I want to get done. Basically by systemising my activities I can achieve a lot more.
Here are the three key advantages-
- it gives me more time to think if activities are routine
- it gives me more control, because I can plan things a lot more easily if I don't have to think out the details
- I can work out better ways of doing things
I'll be going into more detail in future blog posts.
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