Declutter Your Workflow: How to Identify and Eliminate Bottlenecks

Bottlenecks are like the kitchen junk drawer of your workflow.

There's a bunch of stuff in there making a mess, but you'd rather sift through it to find what you're looking for than deal it head-on because it feels like too much work.

The solution?

Dump it all out, sort through the clutter and keep what's useful.

Your workflow is the same.

A bottleneck is a step in your workflow that slows progress for the rest of the process.

It could be you, a tool or a process.

They're not always easy to spot either.

You know there's a bottleneck when...

• you're constantly playing catch-up

• the same task always feels harder than it should be

• there's always a waiting game for approvals, files, or information

To identify bottlenecks:

• map out your entire workflow: write down every step in your process. Look for areas that feel clunky, repetitive or frustrating

• look for repeat offenders: ask yourself: what tasks always takes longer than expected? What do you avoid doing?

• collect feedback from your team and even yourself: seek information on what feels slow or inefficient. If it's you, find out where your energy and time tend to disappear. (Consider doing a time and energy audit.)

To eliminate bottlenecks:

• Automate the repetitive stuff

• Delegate what you hate doing

• Simplify overcomplicated processes

• Replace tools that cause more problems than they solve

• Set clear boundaries and deadlines for completing tasks

What's an area in your workflow that feels like a constant source of irritation? How can you start decluttering it this week?

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This is part of the 60 Days of Realignment and Reimagining: A Transformational Journey for Entrepreneurs series. See the full post here.

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