9 Steps to Get Unstuck in Documenting Your Processes

Ditch the Overthinking & Start Documenting Your Processes

How to Get Stuck In Personal and Business Goals

By now, you have probably heard that 80%-90% of people abandon their personal goals by the end of January – if not sooner! The same is true for businesses, especially around documenting their processes.  Like in our personal lives, stuff happens in business. There’s a client fire, or a personnel emergency, or a dozen other interruptions to achieving our goals.

Around January 14th, I was ready to abandon my “workout every day” goal.  It's easy to be motivated after the holidays, but my motivation wasn’t enough to overcome my fatigue. My accountability partner reminded me, “It’s only been 14 days!” so I re-embraced my prior discipline, resumed my habit, and am gaining momentum. (I also added it to my weekly scorecard as a reminder).

Much like the personal health resolutions we set for ourselves, many business teams set a goal to get their “Core Processes Documented, Simplified, and Followed By All" by the end of the year. Each year, that same goal remains "not done."

If you have a process-related goal, have you started it yet? 

The failure to start or finish this work is not due to a lack of interest or discipline. Instead, when it comes to documenting processes, sometimes we overthink it or we don’t even know how to get started. 

Source: DALL-E

The good news is that we’ve started other habits before and achieved success. You learned how to ride a bike and tie your shoes. No small task at the time! In your career, you likely had to learn a new skill. That discipline and consistency can be applied here as well. Was there a skill where you previously felt hopeless or stuck? (Not a rhetorical question). Where did you have a breakthrough? We can apply these wins to your process goals. 

What is the “why” for documenting your processes?

Mindset Matters. Remember "Your Why"

When I remind myself of the why behind my personal fitness goals (e.g., health, longevity), it’s easier to prioritize my activities. When it comes to business process work, what is your why? When I facilitate and coach teams on getting their processes documented, simplified, and followed by all, I have them write their "process why" down. The list often includes some or all of the following:

• Streamline operations, saving time and resources.
• Fewer fire drills
• Reduce turnover
• Better communication between leaders, managers, and teams,
• Consistently trained employees 
• Happier customers and clients
• More consistent profit and cash flow
• More personal freedom to travel, enjoy family, or play
• More time to innovate and scale 

Discipline and consistency for process supports all of these goals.  What is your why when it comes to process work? If you have team members supporting you, what is theirs? 

"We feel stuck." How Do We Get Started?

The secret to getting ahead is getting started. - Mark Twain

Getting started on anything, whether it's a new project, habit, or skill can be challenging.

9 Steps to Get Unstuck in Documenting Your Processes

1. Define Your Goal: Clearly define what you want to achieve. A "S.M.A.R.T" or well-defined goal gives you direction. You may have set a personal goal to hit a specific weight by the end of the year. For process, your goal may be part of your 1-Year Plan: Document and Simplify Core Processes. These are well-defined goals. 
2. Break It Down to Manageable To-Dos or Rocks: Break your goal into smaller, manageable parts. Large tasks are overwhelming, but smaller steps are more achievable. For personal goals, you may have decided to work out a 5 days a week. For business, you have the 3-Step Process Documenter. A manageable task may be to set a Rock that identifies the process priorities for this quarter.
3. Plan Your First Steps: First steps should be simple and easily achievable to build momentum. For our personal health goals, maybe we plan a grocery list or download a fitness app. For process, some options that each take 1-2 hours tops include: Identify your core processes with your leadership team, commit to the 2-3 core processes that will document and simplify this quarter, or add process rocks to your V/TO.
4. Get Started. Here’s where we start to struggle. We have planned, researched (fellow fact finders, I see you), or designed beautiful charts. Unfortunately, the planning will get us nowhere if we don’t start. Some actions you can take include: Observe a core process to document and simplify, draft a 1-3 page outline of the process, share with the team performing the work and update accordingly, get leadership team approval.
5. Time Block Your Schedule: Allocate specific time for working on your goal. Consistency is key, so stick to the schedule. You won’t magically find time on your calendar to do this work. For your personal health, sign up for a class and put it on your calendar. For process work, time block your calendar, turn off notifications, and get started. 
6. Start Small and Reject Perfectionism: Don't worry about making it perfect the first time. Start with small steps, be flexible, and improve as you go. Process work is an evergreen project. For personal health goals, you (shouldn't) expect to eat or workout perfectly each day. When you begin documenting, getting the first draft done is more important than getting it done perfectly. Remember, perfect is the enemy of done!
7. Seek Accountability and Support: For both your personal and business goals, don’t hesitate to ask for help or seek advice from a coach, peer, your leadership team, and others who have experience with what you’re trying to achieve or can grow with you on the journey.
8. Celebrate EVERY Small Win: Recognize and celebrate your progress, including the small achievements. Build confidence and maintain motivation. For personal goals, if you worked out at all, longer, or with more energy than the previous day - celebrate it! In business, drafting an outline of the specific process or even getting deadlines onto your calendar to complete this work counts! It’s all a win!
9. Stay Positive. Remind yourself why you started either of your personal or process goals. A positive attitude will help you overcome doubts and setbacks. 

Progress in both fitness and process goals is tied to consistency and self-discipline. “Perfection” is not a part of this strategy. Week over week, we can achieve our goals and build a foundation of well-documented processes that will propel our businesses toward efficiency and success.

Remember, the hardest part is often – almost always – just getting started. Once you take the initial steps, momentum will build, and it will become easier to keep going.

Is this your year to drive Radical Accountability for process? 

Drive radical accountability for process documentation and process adoption in your business. Propel your businesses toward mastery, efficiency, and freedom. How? By just getting started. Let’s connect, and we can support you.

Streamline operations, saving time and resources.

Fewer fire drills

Reduce turnover

Better communication between leaders, managers, and teams,

Consistently trained employees 

Happier customers and clients

More consistent profit and cash flow

More personal freedom to travel, enjoy family, or play

More time to innovate and scale 

Discipline and consistency for process supports all of these goals.  What is your why when it comes to process work? If you have team members supporting you, what is theirs?