Even when you’re at work there are basic tasks that need to get done to organize the store and keep things nice and tidy for your customers. Not surprisingly, these low-key activities tend to fall through the cracks, yet if they don’t happen it seems as if everyone notices. At times life gets so busy that we fail to focus on our personal needs. Practicing self-care is essential to maintaining your physical and mental well-being. The goal is to achieve balance in your personal and work life to help reduce stress and relax your mind and body. Create a checklist to help you accomplish what needs to be done.
Develop a Written Plan to Grow the Business
Starting a business requires a vision and commitment to do the work necessary to operate profitably. It’s essential to focus on what you hope to accomplish within a specified time. Create a written plan that details your role and that of the staff.
Everyone should understand the actions or goals needed to move the operation forward and stay competitive. Share a copy of your vision for the company with each employee to check periodically throughout the year.
Update manuals and policies
Are some of the guidelines in your employee handbook obsolete? Since staff use this material as a reference, the guide should be accurate. Perhaps you’ve added new benefits, changed the attendance policy, or allocated more vacation time. Looking at policies and procedures based on occurrences from the prior year is a good idea.
Refresh the Sales Floor
The end of the season is an ideal time to review inventory. You can mark items down for a clearance sale. Don’t hang onto merchandise that slows sales. Replace worn signage and dated displays. It’s also the time to deep clean floors and shelves to remove dirt and dust.
Clean your Office and Files
It feels good to start the week with a clean office. Papers can pile up fast, and it’s easy to lose track of things that should be stored vs. trashed. Remember to use the cloud to store critical documents rather than maintaining files on a computer.
Hold a Brainstorming Session
Regularly meeting with the team to get fresh perspectives keeps everyone engaged in meeting the organization’s goals. Discuss any open issues and ask what can be done to improve existing processes. The session should be casual, yet informative to make everyone feel like a valued team member.
Get Someone else’s Opinion
Often we are too close to our business to see it through someone else’s eyes. Invite someone who isn’t an employee to walk with you and evaluate your store. You’re looking for constructive observations that can motivate you to improve. The person should note the things about your store that they like or dislike.
Maintain a Positive Attitude
Constantly complaining about late shipments, employee shortcomings, and the state of the economy can prevent retailers from losing focus on the positive things they’ve accomplished. While many concerns are valid, some are beyond the control of one individual. When the problem pertains to business operations, communicating and seeking solutions that facilitate change is the best option. Remember to lead by example and motivate employees to support your vision for the business.
Take a Break from Stress
High stress is a side effect of owning and operating a business. Yet, it’s essential to give yourself a pass sometimes and take a break. Five minutes of deep breathing exercises or quiet meditation can work wonders when you feel overwhelmed and need a quick refresh.
Home improvement retailers understand how to overcome challenges and find solutions that improve the quality of their businesses, and maintain their wellbeing.
