When I was a child my mother told me that the secret to cooking was following the directions. Whether she was right or not, I can't attest for my cooking never amounted to much and neither did my ability to follow directions. Even if my cooking doesn't follow the directions, I have found that some areas of my life are riddled with procedures. If you've been reading our blog here at Scio, then you can probably guess which areas these are.
First, calculating. When I perform a mathematical calculation, I follow a procedure. This procedure is often called the order of operations. When calculating, I don't detour from this strict protocol. Why? Because I've built the habit.
Second, writing. When I write a paper or even a blog post, I create an outline. This orderly procedure allows me write freely within a proven roadmap.
So, what is the secret to creating great procedures?
- KISS : Keep it Simple Seriously 😉 : If you make it too complicated, it's too hard to follow.
- Write it down : this seems obvious right? Just write the steps, one at a time.
- Create a way to remember the steps. Creating a mnemonic device can help with this step. For example, PEMDAS for the order of operations.
- Practice. Again, maybe a little obvious, but incredibly important. Repetitively using the steps will help you remember the procedure.
Do you know how long it takes to form a habit? Last year one of my goals was to turn certain good behaviors into habits. Turns out creating a habit is hard and takes time (8-12 weeks actually). But when we are in the habit of doing good things, our lives become better both from the benefit of the good habit and the lack of noice surrounding the procedures in our lives.