Routines- Mornings and IP Departments
Everybody starts their day off a little bit differently, but many morning routines consist of similar activities. Shutting off the alarm, brushing your teeth (hopefully), brewing coffee, eating breakfast, maybe a morning workout or dropping the kids off somewhere. Theoretically, this routine is the result of fine-tuning different iterations of morning routines as weeks, months, and years go by. Every so often, life circumstances will dictate a change in that routine, like a global pandemic suddenly eradicating the need for a morning commute, and thereby present a new opportunity to perfect a new variance of the routine for that time frame.
This may be a stretch- but hear me out. The workflow process of your IP department parallels quite nicely with the rituals that you have perfected at the start of each morning. A nascent IP department must first decide how they are going to function, typically relying extremely heavily on Outside Counsel until they have more ability to grow the organization internally. Slowly, with each change of circumstance within the organization, new variances of workflows begin to occur. Hopefully, this exact moment in time is the most optimally functioning your IP department has ever operated.
Of course, this does not mean your organization functions perfectly. Sometimes it’s difficult to remember that it’s easier to set the coffee pot to brew in the evening than it is in the morning- and that puts a wrench in the routine for the entire next day when you forget. Sometimes workflows can become antiquated- podcasts have made books and news consumable on the go, perhaps freeing up previously allocated time for morning reading. Are there new technologies, dockets, service providers, that can make your routines more efficient?
What am I getting at here?
- Your organizational workflow should change over time. It should currently be the best it’s ever been, but it will never be perfect, and future circumstances will necessitate change.
- Old workflow routines may actually be bad habits. Try new iterations, find unexpected efficiencies.
- Workflows are meant to be followed, save for intentional experimental deviations. Ensure the organization is adhering to this carefully crafted workflow.
- Please, brush your teeth in the mornings. ;)
Contact our team for a good morning start!
