What Asparagus taught me about business

What needs to be cleared off your desk so that you can focus on your priorities?

We harvested the first asparagus of the season last weekend.

It’s like magic every year when the bright green spears poke through the soil in early May.

It’s one of the first fresh delights in the growing season.

I now have options beyond the last few frozen or canned veggies from last year’s garden.

Asparagus is the perfect antidote for winter in Vermont.

I have been enjoying the delights of spring-time asparagus for 30 years.

I have also been delighting in supporting entrepreneurs in creating businesses they love and that love them in return.

I have learned a few important business lessons from asparagus.

1. A well-tended bed will feed you for years to come.

• An asparagus bed can produce fresh greens for a decade or more.

• Since it’s a perennial, I just need to fertilize it and keep the weeds down.

• This is similar to maintaining a healthy network.

• Every Spring I speak at and/or attend 4 to 6 professional conferences.

• I keep my network healthy by deepening current relationships and broadening into new  connections on a regular basis.

2. To everything there is a season.

• Asparagus is available year round in the grocery store.

• But I like to eat according to the season.

• Asparagus is a natural astringent and helps unclog my winter piping.

• At this point in the year, I bet your business could use a little Spring cleaning too.

• May is a perfect time to refocus your energy, release distractions, and reconnect with priorities.

3. Knowing when to rest is just as important as knowing when to push through.

• Asparagus season lasts about 6 weeks.

• To keep your asparagus bed vital, you must allow the precious spears to grow into a forest of frons. 

• All summer, as the 6-foot tall asparagus ferns dance in the breeze, they are feeding the roots that will become next year’s edible spears.

• There is always one more task, phone call, message, meeting, or report that needs doing on your desk.

• You need time to replenish your roots too.

• Incorporating restorative breaks and vacations means you will maintain your own health so you can continue to serve your clients.

How are you tending to your professional network?

What needs to be cleared off your desk so that you can focus on your priorities?

How will you incorporate restoration into your daily life?