A Message:

From Dr. Shelley Simon

Having decided that the time has come to downsize and somewhat simplify our lives, my husband and I have spent the last couple of months preparing our too-big-for-us Portland home for sale. This has involved repairs, cleaning, light remodeling, and some surprisingly difficult decisions about what to keep and what to toss. In this market, who knows if the house will even sell, or how long it might take for the right buyer to stumble into our lives. If it sells, great. If it doesn’t, we’ll stay and enjoy all the work we’ve put into tidying the place up. This process has required a great deal of effort and it has also been a very positive experience. There is something about letting go of the old to make space for the new that inspires optimism and triggers creative thinking.

Going through this process has me thinking about how my clients might benefit from doing a little “housecleaning” of their own, with an eye toward both reflecting on the past and planning for the future. With that in mind, the feature article in this issue of Practice Your Way is about what it might mean to you and your practice if you were to invest the time and energy necessary to clear the decks, make room for new ideas and projects, and spend the second half of 2010 focused on what it truly most important to you. Mid-year is a great time to take stock. What have you accomplished so far? What’s left undone? What are your successes and disappointments? How does all of this factor into how you’ll feel about yourself and your business when 2010 comes to a close? I hope you’ll enjoy reading The Mid-Year Challenge.

Feature Article:

The Mid-Year Challenge

At the beginning of each new year, if you’re like the majority of success-oriented healthcare professionals, you spend time reflecting on the prior year, thinking about what you want for the coming twelve months, setting goals, and creating action plans and to-do lists. Now it’s time go back to what you said was important to accomplish in 2010 and take stock. In this article, I’m offering you a mid-year challenge in three steps: (1) Clear the Decks; (2) Reflect and Assess; and (3) Fine Tune to Move Forward.

There’s a feng shui principle that says clutter blocks energy, creativity, and vitality. If, at this point in 2010, you’re not on track with achieving your most critical goals and experiencing the success you say you want, consider the possibility that you’re stuck as a result of being surrounded by clutter and low-level chaos, both of which are distractions to addressing what is truly important. It’s a trap that is so easy to fall into. Your tell yourself you’ll get busy on practice marketing, just as soon as the e-mail in-box is empty and the backlog of paperwork is done. Or you put off sitting down with staff to review the accounts receivable because you’re distracted by the fact that a tax-return extension was filed in April instead of an actual tax return, and the new deadline is now looming. On the personal front, you promise yourself you’ll start that rigorous fitness program, once the garage and basement are organized, you hire someone to take care of the yard so you’ll have more time, or better childcare arrangements are in place. Like I said, it’s a trap that’s based on procrastination and distraction. So, the first step in the mid-year challenge is to take the first two weeks in June to do the following:

Desk and personal office: Clean off the top of your desk and all other flat surfaces, empty in-boxes, organize books and journals, take home what doesn’t belong at work.
The rest of the office: Organize, purge, deep clean (carpets, windows, etc.).
Technology: Empty the e-mail in-box, organize computer folders, tidy up the desktop, schedule automatic backups, upgrade software, have the system checked for glitches by a professional.
Finance: Get taxes up to date, pay outstanding bills, organize records, schedule an appointment with your financial planner for a mid-year review.
At home: Take a weekend to do spring cleaning both inside and outside the house, purge your wardrobe, go through kitchen cabinets and toss outdated and unhealthy food, schedule needed maintenance and repairs.
Personal care: Exercise daily, eat a “clean” diet and/or do a light cleanse, practice meditation or other stress management skills each day, have a massage and facial, get a spinal adjustment, and check to see if you’re current with dental and other health-related appointments.

While you’re spending the first two weeks of June clearing out the clutter, spend time thinking about what the year has held for you thus far. As you’re organizing the office, set aside files to review that will give you a clear picture of where you are in terms of reaching your patient volume and revenue goals for the year. Pull out the marketing action plan you made for this year. Run (or have your accountant run) a year-to-date financial statement. Schedule a staff meeting (or even a mid-year retreat) to engage your team in reviewing how far you’ve come, where you’re missing the mark, and what you all need to do for the remainder of 2010 in order to achieve your goals.

Reflect, too, on any personal goals you set for yourself back in January. Did you plan to get started on a remodeling project this year? Drop a few excess pounds? Exercise more consistently? Get serious about retirement planning? Spend more time with your spouse, children, or friends? Engage more actively in a hobby or volunteer work you feel passionate about? So, how’s it going? Look at the progress you’ve made and acknowledge your achievements. Then look at what’s left to be done or where you might need to become more disciplined in order to hit the targets you’ve set for yourself.

There is something about getting organized and letting go of what’s no longer needed that inspires creative thinking. Do not be surprised if, while working through this process, you come up with ideas for ways to promote your practice, lead your staff, or otherwise engage in ways of doing or being that you’ve never thought of before. Be open to incorporating some of these fresh thoughts into your plan for the rest of the year.

At the risk of letting you, dear reader, off the hook for doing what you said you wanted to do way back in January, understand that it’s okay to acknowledge that conditions and priorities do sometimes change with the passage of time. Your number one practice goal five months ago now may now hold the second or third position on the list because something more critical has crept onto the radar screen. It’s okay to tweak and fine tune goals and objectives, as long as doing so is not an exercise in rationalization, Olympic-style procrastination, or just plain being lazy.

Once you’ve cleared the decks and taken a good hard look at where you are year to date, ask yourself which of your goals should be modified. You may find, for example, that because a competitor down the street left town, you can actually ease up on your marketing activities a little because you’re seeing some of his or her patients now. On the other hand, if revenues are down, you may need to look at investing in even more promotional efforts than you’d planned. Perhaps you’re ahead of where you thought you’d be at this point in the year. If that’s the case, then it’s time to decide if the priority should be setting a stretch goal (maybe with an eye toward stashing extra income away for retirement or a college fund) or if taking additional vacation time later this year is more appealing.

By the time you’ve worked through these three steps, it should be nearing the end of June. Your priorities, plans, and goals for July-December should be relatively clear. Hopefully, you’ll be feeling motivated, optimistic, and engaged. If you are, congratulations. If you’re not, consider the special offer below as a way to ensure that 2010 will end up being a year you’ll be proud of.

Special Offer:

Complimentary EQ Profile

Having read the feature article above, I hope you’re feeling optimistic that you can make the second half of 2010 a positive, successful period in your life and in you’re practice. If you’re feeling hopeful, now is the time to capitalize on and leverage that energy. If this all feels a bit daunting or overwhelming, then now is the time to turn things around and get on track. Either way, you won’t want to miss out on this special offer. New and existing clients who commit to a six-month coaching contract anytime between now and the end of June will receive a free EQ In Action Profile.

The EQ In Action Profile is a unique instrument that will give you powerful insights into yourself both personally and professionally. If you’re ready to “clear the decks,” starting with a clear view of yourself will most certainly help. Having a deeper understanding about how you habitually operate can support you in achieving your goals more quickly. The EQ In Action Profile will also reveal and help you understand the reasons behind your procrastination or mid-year slump, and how blocks in your personal life or worldview might be holding you back from the success you desire.

This profile is a $550 value and an excellent starting point for a rich coaching experience. I’m offering it for a limited time, so to take advantage of this promotion, you must request a consultation no later than June 30.

Seminar Experience:

Join Me in Australia

Considering a continuing education event? Longing for a vacation getaway? How does Australia this summer sound? Join me at the Synaptic Design conference August 13-15 at the beautiful Hamilton Island Resort on the Great Barrier Reef. I’ll kick off the conference on Friday morning with a keynote titled The New World of Work: Success in an Age of Transition. This will be followed by two of my presentations on Saturday and a final one on Sunday, along with a wide variety of sessions on both clinical and management topics by other experts. Plus you’ll have an opportunity to network with chiropractors from abroad and have some fun. Click here for more information. Hope to see you there.

Online Now:

Read Dr. Simon’s Latest Published Work Online

Dynamic Chiropractic: Coaching Patients Toward a Healthier Future

Dynamic Chiropractic: Regaining Emotional Vitality: Three Doctors, Three Challenges, Three Strategies

Chiropractic Economics: The Art of Influencing Behavior Change — Wellness Philosophy in Action