What's the rush?

Have you ever really thought about how much happier you are when things are moving at a rapid pace?

We've all the heard the phrase "time flies when you're having fun," but isn't it also true the other way around? When you have a lot to do, time seems to vanish. Your energy level is up, your mind is firing on all cylinders, and even your interactions are more positive.

Jay Geier is the president and founder of the Scheduling Institute.

In fact, it isn't just the illusion of "being busy" that causes this phenomenon to occur. Studies have shown that time seems to move fastest (and is most enjoyable) when you are actively engaged in the pursuit of a goal. Rather than wasting time in the break room, taking multiple trips to the bathroom, or scrolling through your Facebook feed, you'll find that you've achieved superhuman focus and are single-mindedly conquering your mission.

On the other hand, people who fill their schedules with busy work or slide through the day doing the bare minimum will notice that time seems to drag its feet. If you aren't focused on achieving a goal, I can guarantee that you'll fall victim to what I like to call the "Friday syndrome." Symptoms include low engagement, low energy, boredom, and irritability. It might sound ridiculous, but it's a very real (and contagious) mindset that can spread throughout your office and drastically reduce your team's productivity.

Today, I want to challenge you to honestly assess your practice. Think of it as a productivity audit. We are more than halfway through 2017 -- so, looking back, what does your year look like? Are you and your team firing on all cylinders? Is your engine screaming, full-steam ahead? Are you helping lots of new people? Are your rooms full? Are your telephones ringing, referrals streaming in? Have you been focused on marketing and referral generation? Is everyone in your office working toward a big, exciting goal?

Have the days been flying by, or are they moving at a snail's pace?

5 steps

It's important to recognize that we tend to confront things head-on when we are busy -- but when things are slow, we procrastinate. We avoid easy-to-handle issues and allow them to grow into larger problems.

So, what do you need to do to modify your course and make the final months of 2017 the most fun and productive of the year? It's all about cranking up your practice's marketing machine.

Here are a few easy-to-implement steps that will help you and your team to get back on track and start firing on all cylinders.

1. Own the problem. Accept it's you and nothing else. Stop making excuses for mediocre results.
2. Bring your team together and address the problem. Accept the need to market yourself. Create demand and increase your level of service.
3. Set a goal and track it. Make sure your whole team is on board. To really maximize this step, consider incentivizing your team with a contest.
4. Create your game plan -- a marketing calendar -- that matches, or ideally, exceeds your goal. If you need help with this step, we've got you covered.
5. Take action and have faith that you will achieve your goal.

It's human to want a quick fix. We all tend to look for the easiest answer -- the weight loss pill or the magic diet. But big, lasting, incredible results take intentional work. They take commitment, engagement, and collaboration from the whole team. Be expectant, but realistic: The service always comes before the rewards.

Jay Geier is the founder and owner of the Scheduling Institute, a dental training and practice consulting company. You can register for the Best Marketing Seminar Ever here.

The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.