As optometrists and practice owners, we are constantly being tempted by all sorts of new technology both inside and outside of the exam room. And your life outside the practice has the same bombardment of new technology, apps, and gadgets. The bottom line is it’s a huge distraction to all business owners. Whatever happened to focusing on eyewear sales? Do you really need all these distractions vying for your attention every minute of every day?
With any new high-tech version of something previously handled in a low-tech way ask yourself these 2 questions:
- What problem does this actually solve? Is it the right problem to be trying to solve? If so, will the new technology significantly help?
- What is the trade-off? What do I lose, along with any gain, and on balance do the gains significantly outweigh the losses?
What most practice owners deploy in terms of technology has tremendous trade-offs in terms of their productivity, efficiency and sanity.
Don’t let anything fog your focus and the results you can achieve, unless the gains significantly outweigh the losses. If the 5 new features from your practice management software allows you to sell 5 times as many pairs of glasses this year then go for it. However, I think the list of trade-offs will be significant.
With any technology, like your practice management system for example, your aim should not be to use 100% of the system. Using 100% of the system does not equate to value for you and your practice. Your goal should be to use only the parts of the system that serve YOUR purpose and your goals for your practice. Be selective and focus only on areas where the gains outweigh the trade-offs.
The most successful people I know, use daily planners and journals and pen and paper to manage their calendar and most important projects and goals. These people have achieved far more with their businesses than the business owners who embrace every single new piece of technology with gusto and little thought about the trade-off.
To hear a brilliant podcast where Julian Richer describes in detail how he manages his businesses and calendar and action lists on a single sheet of paper he carries in his pocket, just Google Julian Richer podcast. It’s well worth a listen. I transcribed it and made my own notes.
Research has long shown that when you write something down, the motor connection between your brain and your hand leaves a very different imprint on your brain than when you are operating digitally with only taps, swipes and clicks on your digital device.
This is why people who write stuff down are much more likely to remember it, as well as have much more clarity about what they are doing.
In Optical Success Academy, I’m in the business of bringing our members new stuff all the time, but if you look closely, there are about 30 to 40 major things I teach and I’m constantly forcing you to look at the same 30 to 40 principles, strategies and tactics with fresh eyes. I’m forcing you to focus.
Where less successful practice owners would complain about repetition, our most successful members are achieving record growth, less stress, better lifestyles and more freedom by doing the same reps every week, forcing themselves to focus again and again on the things that matter.