Whether you are a process lover or not, you need workflows in your military spouse entrepreneurial life. We’ll get to the reasons why shortly, but first, what is a workflow?
A workflow is a way you repeatedly and systematically do your work.
You could complete a task with multiple subtasks in a haphazard way, or you could design a workflow process to ensure that the business operation gets completed the same way, in the same order, every time.
Here are three reasons why it’s important to create workflow processes:
Create more mental space by having all of the steps laid out.
Entrepreneurs’ brains are full of ideas, strategies, and things to knock off to-do lists. You do not need to recreate the wheel of every multiple-step business operation you do each time you do it, whether that’s creating a blog post or coordinating an annual event.
Make a list on the notes app of your phone or your task management software. Asana and Trello have free versions. Monday.com is also another great option (and as an AMSE member, you can receive a discount for their service!). As an extra bonus, your list will hold you accountable to the non-essential but important sub-tasks that may fall prey to procrastination, like updating databases or sending thank you notes. With the extra mental space you created, you may just happen upon your next great idea.
Make it easy for someone to help you.
There are times when you could use some help—sickness, PCSs, deployments, busy seasons, launches, burnout, etc. Are you ready right now to hand over the work? If you have a workflow for each repeating aspect of your business (and extra credit for having how-to documentation for each step), you could easily outsource your work.
If you’re ready to hire help, check out AMSE partners WISE Advise + Assist Team or Instant Teams.
Gain a bigger picture view of your operations.
How hard is it for you to prioritize your week or plan ahead for the months, quarters, or years ahead? Are you being efficient with your time and devoting it to high-impact activities? Are multiple people spending time on the same things? Would one task be easier if another were completed first? Do deadlines sneak up on you?
If you have workflow processes in place, you’ll be able to see where you’re at in the short term. This will allow you to prioritize your time, determine whether you can take on more work, assess whether you need help, eliminate inefficiencies and redundancies, and plan for the future.
When you’re caught up in the busyness of handling all of the aspects of your business, often as a solopreneur or member of a small team, it can be hard to dedicate time to creating a workflow for each repeating operation of your business.
But if you invest that time, you will create more mental space, make it easy to solicit help, and have a better view of all aspects of your business.
For over 20 years, Kimberly Bacso has driven organizational success by leading educational and wellness initiatives. Highly skilled in creating digital content strategies, she’s grown communities with her word-of-mouth, grassroots approach. She is a proud U.S. military spouse who has founded thriving brands, transformed struggling outreach efforts, and catalyzed a group of 150+ writers from the ground up within the health and wellness space. She is the managing editor of Legacy Magazine and an experienced registered yoga teacher. When she’s not working, you can find her trying new plant-based recipes or traveling off the beaten path with her husband and teenage daughter.
