Admin Adventures
By Kim Magennis
At the outset, I must concede that these two words seldom occur in the same sentence. Admin is often considered the ugly step-sister in the running of a business, with Marketing taking the Cinderella role. Whilst Marketing gets to be the belle of the ball, Admin shows up (with her step-sister HR Management) as a very unwanted guest. She can be unsexy, demanding, seemingly unrewarding and unlovely. And when neglected, has the ability to become a time and money gobbling tyrant.
Over the years I have come to see that Admin, and specifically Bookkeeping, has a story to tell. It is a conversation between you, the Business owner, and your Customers, Suppliers and Team members. When performed consistently and recorded accurately (paying attention to detail) Bookkeeping tells the story of your business journey. It tells you where you are, how you got there, and can also – almost magically – tell you where you are going.
If you are in the position of having to do your own Admin, you will recognise that each task has its own unique energy.
Processing Customer receipts is not just keeping a record of who owes you money at the end of the day. When approached with awareness, the exercise becomes a celebration of your Productivity, and is the symbol of the ultimate reward for a job well done. I particularly enjoy paying Employees and Suppliers. I love recognising excellence and I love rewarding it. What better way of doing that than paying someone what they are worth? Your business is only as good as these two classes of relationships. If you resent paying either class, you need to up your game in the relationship department.
Even the dreaded ‘Filing’ can have a completely different feel to it, when you set the intention. I find the process of sorting and putting documents in well-organised and mindfully labelled archiving relaxing. My hands are busy, I can clearly measure my progress, and I find myself slipping easily into a Theta brainwave state. I cannot tell you how many solutions to problems have unfolded whilst I was filing.
Admin adventure? Absolutely! When you make your mind up to embrace the idea that transactions are all about relationships, and cash inflows and outflows are like the breath of a living creature, Admin can be the Ultimate Adventure. And, you may be as lucky as I am to do it in a business that makes a huge difference in the lives of the people it touches.