Practice Makes Patterns

You’ve (probably) brushed your teeth every day. Even twice a day. For decades now.

This makes brushing your teeth a pattern. Likely, a very well-established pattern in your life. Which should make it relatively easy to shift, since a solid foundation already exists. For example, it should be easy to switch the hand you use to brush said teeth; so that, instead of your dominant hand (right for most folks), you would use the other. It’s not like you’re being asked to start brushing your teeth de novo.

And yet….

If I gave you the task of using your non-dominant hand to regularly brush your teeth over the course of a week, you probably wouldn’t. Not because you were trying to be rebellious or harbored malicious intent;  because you forgot,  it felt uncomfortable, or you didn’t have enough time. Any number of excuses would arise. These all speak to the same theme: pattern change is hard.

Pattern change is also how we grow. It’s what pushes us into new ways of being and doing, personally and professionally.

When we think of ‘patterns’ many minds default to personal ones, such as incorporating more mediation into the week but finding ourselves unable, or wanting to eat less sugar but still succumbing to the late-night treat. However, as we are ourselves at work, we possess professional patterns, too.

There are so many ways these patterns take shape. One way is in the administration of our practice; for instance, the payment processing, accounting, scheduling, or practice management methods we use. Administration tends to be one of our least-favorite set of tasks. The one we procrastinate on, the one that ‘comes along’ with having a practice. But why? Why do we dislike attending to this aspect, relative to others? What is behind our resistance? Are these tasks just too linear? Too confusing? Is structure just ‘not your thing?’ If so, why? It can be interesting to know. And, it also doesn’t have to matter; because one way to bust through old patterns of resistance is by adopting new patterns: of expansion, of abundance, ease, efficiency, or organization. Your choice.

Let’s say that you choose organization. You want a new way to organize your practice, which is in a new place. Currently, you keep accounting records jotted down in a journal, not quite reconciled with your bank account; client scheduling is a litany of emails back-and-forth which you enjoy, but takes more time than you have to spend on it; record-keeping seems like a good idea but you don’t have to do it because you can just drop into a client’s field, etc. But something is calling you toward a different framework for your business. You have the sense that re-channeling your current processes will result in better client care, more clients, peace of mind...a more effective use of your energy. Kind of like how channeling a large flow of water into a turbine harnesses its energy, generating power for lots of people.

Where to go from here? How to enhance your organization? Well, a deep sense of awareness and discipline is a necessary first step. Without this internal drive, all the good intentions in the world won’t manifest in a meaningful way.

From there, I have observed a few keys to new-pattern success:

Commitment: As mentioned, you’re already tapped into the change that’s needed and you’re ready to be the change. The good news is that you don’t need to know how it will happen, but feel what it would – neigh, will – feel like when it happens. So, take a moment and feel into this greater sense of organization (or, whatever you choose), from the place of already being organized. How does greater organization feel to you? Like greater clarity? Greater ease? Tune in and then write the qualities down. Another step in making the intangible tangible.

Plan: You’ve chosen your new pattern (e.g. organization), and written down qualities it will bring (e.g. clarity, ease). Now, write a few to-do’s that get you to this goal. Jot down as many items as come to mind, no judgment or self-correction along the way. Try to keep your words positively-framed; for instance, ‘better record-keeping,’ versus ‘not writing in journals anymore.’ From your list, pick the item that resonates the most. This is likely the one that you will do. Then, get increasingly specific. For instance, if you desire ‘better record-keeping,’ maybe the first, doable step is to search for online options, or reach out to a colleague whose record-keeping practice you admire and want to learn about. You don’t have to do, or know, everything at once. Start with a one-step plan that meets you where you’re at, and schedule it into your day (e.g. Thursday 5-5:30pm online search for digital note-taking software). When you conclude this step, create the next logical one (e.g. contact customer service to inquire about pricing) and then do it. And so on and so forth. Unless you are working against a specific deadline, there is no rush – just a practice (pun intended) that is naturally growing and evolving. One step at a time.

Accountability and Support: Ask family, friends, and colleagues for their help implementing your plan. With what aspect of your plan can they support you? Be as specific as possible. For instance, reach out to a couple colleagues to ask how they handle their record-keeping; ask what forms they use, how/where they file them, etc. Inquire if you could use them as an ongoing support in your organizational endeavors. People generally want to help - and do - when asked. It can likewise be very empowering to ask for help and allow yourself to receive it.

Yes, all of the above implies time and energy. But it’s an upfront effort, with a long-term payoff that touches upon many realms, from finances to free time. Like with health. A new, meaningful investment goes a long (and many times, magical) way.