In business, we are always striving to find new methods and tools to enhance our productivity and our bottom line.

And very often, we set a new plan in motion with the understanding that we are going to have to spend a little time on implementation and training. That is part and parcel of any new endeavor.

But what we often fail to consider is the amount of FUTURE time that must be allotted to keep the system in effect. Many of these complex tools require daily maintenance tasks or continual input and updating.

And so as multiple business systems are set into motion, it isn’t long before the sheer burden of time commitment exceeds the ability to maintain the operations in good working order.

At that point, a decision has to be made, as there are only two choices: A business must either hire an employee to take care of the additional necessary perfunctory tasks, or decide to limit the systems in place to the minimum number of the most cost effective tools.

My preference is the latter. Decide what works, dedicate the time and capital resources to maintain it, and eliminate the less effective systems that demand the most and return the least.

It sounds easy. But it is hard to cast aside tools in which we have already invested a lot of time and money.

But it is a necessary element of conducting a successful business.