Clean Sweep!

While spring has yet to begin officially, signs of spring are starting to emerge so we can’t help but turn our thoughts to the new season. We all have our favorite seasons and spring might be yours. What is it about this time of year that resonates with you? Is it the perfumed breeze starting to linger in the air or the happy chirping of birds? Regardless of the cheerful springtime triggers, you may intuitively feel inclined to put more purpose into your springtime days after cocooning through the winter.

When we turn our thoughts to regenerating ourselves in spring, our minds and bodies might consider traditional cleansing rituals that purge the negative and reset us positivity. However, have you considered the other side of your life that also might need some airing out and cleansing? What about the business side of your life?

Why Declutter?

Before considering what to toss out to free up physical and mental space, first ask yourself why is it important to dispose of things that been piling up or cluttering office space? If a document or piece of office equipment has outlived its purpose or doesn’t serve a positive function in your practice, dispose of it. However, before an office purge, begin with an assessment of office assets. Don’t take any decisive action that might create a compliance issue or loss of important client paperwork. Apply thoughtful consideration in assessing what is or isn’t obsolete. Here’s a method that you can easily implement as you sort through documents and office

1. Keep: paperwork signed and dated by a client that acknowledges your scope of practice or authorizes treatment. Even outdated documents cold be useful for client history. Documents like this are essential to your business and knowing you have it reduces stress.
2. Give away: this could be office equipment or furniture that is useful but aesthetically makes your office look outdated. This could be something you could donate or give to a friends. Knowing you are helping someone could give you happiness by sharing.
3. Relocate: You might have some publications, forms or equipment that while you don’t use it often, it could come in handy. Maybe you could label these thing and store. By doing this, you create more space in your office or treatment rooms which energizes you.
4. Trash: We all have something that for some reason continues to take up space but is it serving a purpose for you? These are items that you can’t even give away so maybe it’s time to dispose of the outdated and toss it. Imagine the relief you would feel after making a decision to dispose of something that is no longer useful. Doing this can elevate your spirits.

Toss or Treasure

As you make your way through books, documents, forms and client files, think whether each item has earned a place in your office and business. If its purpose has been outlived, then toss it!  Before you begin, figure out a vetting process to help you assess what to do with a document or resource

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

• Do I feel some documents are more intrusive to my client’s privacy than critical to my practice?
• Is this document important to my business and liability management of my practice?
• Is this form something that needs to be kept but also updated?
• Do I throw away documents that have been updated?
• Is this document have information that helps me with my practice and client treatment?

Wrap-Up

            You might not know how much something is cluttering up your mind or energy until you resolve to do something about it. It is a liberating action. Similar to the blossoming of a new season, pushing aside the items that occupy our minds or space clear the path for those things that benefit us to emerge. So as you take an assessment of what to keep, give away, relocate or toss, imagine you are clearing space and energy for things wonderful and new.