This article originally appeared in The Simplifier #45.

Taking Inventory, Part 1

By Shawn Tuttle

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Shawn Tuttle is founder of Project Simplify.

The theme of the week around here has been stuff, physical stuff. The things on the desk, in the closet, in the trunk of the car, on the kitchen counter, under the kitchen sink. Those things. This week’s newsletter (coming soon!) addresses identifying and clearing out the stuff that has become dead weight.

I’m still riding the afterburn from half a week at Burningman where stuff was and was not at a bare minimum. We carried our own water for drinking, cooking and showering which would imply bare, and we had an air mattress in the tent (luxury for this girl!) We brought just enough clothes for the days there and brought costumes to play it up and have fun. (btw: some photos here)
A winged angel on a cauldron of books.
Photo credit: Mark Einert.
What I see from this gets right to the heart of simplifying, i.e. know what’s important to you, make sure you’ve got all the tools and time to do it in the way you want to.
This tea house was made of found materials and food packaging.
Photo credit: Mark Einert.

Along these lines, Zen Habits blogger Leo Babauta recently wrote about “How much is enough?“. Great question. He puts it in terms of “what makes you happy? comfortable? what helps you thrive?

I like that context–a simple way of figuring out what’s important to you–that which makes your heart expand, your mouth smile, your belly chuckle. Get in touch with that glow of feeling alive. What makes the glow grow…?

“We just send info back and forth–it never seems to get finished” Frustration written all over client’s face. He was referring to a QuickBooks report given to him from his bookkeeper that he had written an additional request on and given back to her. She gave it back to him…. and he vaguely remembered her saying that she had taken care of it… but where was it?

“We need a system to make this easier,” he lamented. Now we’re talking! A few thoughts of tracking systems went through my head, but then I re-read the request he had written to her. A-ha! It was missing a crucial element: the conclusive action request. It was missing a final line that said, “Return to me with this note.” This means that the bookkeeper would fill in the blank for final instructions, and it might not be what he had in mind.

Few and far between is the assistant-business owner relationship in which the assistant can anticipate her client’s thoughts. This seems to be one of the recurring issues for Creatives, that is, nailing down what the end result should be for some of the more “boring” paperwork kinds of things. Unless they are interested in the subject, in which case they’ll be doing it themselves, they seem to find it quasi-painful to think through to the end result. Which is why they have someone to help them.

While I’m all in favor of calling on an assistant for those tasks they don’t want to do, developing a positive relationship with an assistant is crucial for continuity. Frustration and ambiguity do not make for happy helpers.

How terrible would it be to be given a recipe for a delicious chocolate cake that only had the first 80% of the directions? Either you come to a stand still, guess, or go hunt down someone who might know (which makes the process take a lot longer than necessary!)

Thinking through a delegated task or request all the way to the end is GREAT practice for honing your intentions to be in line with what you want to achieve. Sitting down to your own work with a clear understanding of the finished product lubricates the gears to get there.

And really, isn’t that what getting work done is all about? Identify, define, do. Nix unnecessary revisiting of tasks by being clear at the beginning.

Have you ever received an invoice from someone that didn’t have some crucial piece of information–like where to send the check or the name of the business? Yikes! Following is a quick run down of the parts that should be included on an invoice. The fun thing about the invoice is that the ordering of info is flexible and the design is up to you–just keep it in line with your other forms for continuity.

Your name or business name
Your address
Your phone number and email — In case they have questions, make it easy for them to reach you!

Invoice date — Always date important papers!!!
Invoice # — Even if your operation is small enough to not need invoice numbers, your clients may use them for their own tracking. An easy default can be your clients initials + the date. For example, if you were billing Project Simplify in September 2007 => PS0907.

Bill to — i.e. Client/business name
Client’s address

Services — Provide enough info to remind them what they are paying you for. Include time sheet if that is your agreement with them.
Rate — Example: $X/hour x 5 hours
Total due $

Terms — Examples: “Payable upon receipt” or “net 15″. Ideally, you’ve already agreed upon this point with them and this is merely a reminder.

Payment instructions — Examples: “Please remit payment to above/below address.” or “Paypal payments accepted to xxxxx”

You may add or delete some items for your invoice depending on your business. You’ll also want to let your clients know when you bill, for example at the end of each month, and then stick with that agreement.

The afterburn is what someone who goes to Burningman experiences upon re-entry to “regular” society. Funny, when out on the desert with 45,000+ other costumed, dancing, frolicking people that feels completely normal. I mean, why wouldn’t we have art installations everywhere you turn? Why not have art cars inviting impromptu dance parties cruising the streets? Why not dress up in costumes to suit your mood? Because we have work to do! We have serious things to take care of! You can’t run around like that all the time!

Welllllll, psshhaawww! Now that I’m home, I can feel that my fun quotient and desires to celebrate life have increased quite significantly. Am I going to leave Project Simplify in the dust and go join a roving band of Burners? No! I will, however, bring more levity and joy to my clients. =)

If reading this blog for the first time, you may be wondering what in the world I’m talking about. In a nutshell, I just got back from Burningman, “the cultural phenomenon/event that becomes Nevada’s 6th largest city for one week around Labor Day weekend each year” (from newsletter issue #45). Jill Bauerle of The Union did a great job capturing much of the essence of the event from a virgin burner point of view in her blog entries.

The entire experience has only increased my understanding of why it is important to simplify and be organized. We each have valuable contributions and skills to share with our blood and chosen families, near and far friends & local and global communities. However, sacrificing the individual to the bigger picture denies the validity of the individual’s experience. We each need time to explore the yummy expressions our souls want to sing–the delicate voices so easily snuffed out by stress, crises-management, and fear. This is why we want our lives manageable–for more play, joy, and celebration!