Ways To Be More Efficient

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

As a natural choleric, I like to check-off my to-do list at the end of the day. Production is very important to me, and I like to find ways to be efficient. If you’re looking for ways to amp up your efficiency level, consider these ideas.

1. Chunk. Chunk similar tasks like phone calls or errands into a single batch, and knock them off in a single session.

2. Continuum. At the end of your workday, identify the first task you’ll work on the next day, and set out the materials in advance. The next day begin working on that task immediately.

3. Daily goals. Without a clear focus, it’s too easy to succumb to distractions. Set targets for each day in advance. Decide what you’ll do; then do it.

4. Deadline. Set a deadline for task completion, and use it as a focal point to stay on track.

5. Gap reading. Use reading to fill in those odd periods like waiting for an appointment, standing in line, or while the coffee is brewing. If you’re a male, you can even read an article while shaving (preferably with an electric razor). That’s 365 articles a year.

6. Mini-milestones. When you begin a task, identify the target you must reach before you can stop working. For example, when working on a book, you could decide not to get up until you’ve written at least 1000 words. Hit your target no matter what.

7. Minuteman. Once you have the information you need to make a decision, start a timer and give yourself just 60 seconds to make the actual decision. Take a whole minute to vacillate and second-guess yourself all you want, but come out the other end with a clear choice. Once your decision is made, take some kind of action to set it in motion.

8. Nuke it! The most efficient way to get through a task is to delete it. If it doesn’t need to be done, get it off your to do list.

9. Peak times. Identify your peak cycles of productivity, and schedule your most important tasks for those times. Work on minor tasks during your non-peak times.

10. Promise. Tell others of your commitments, since they’ll help hold you accountable.

11. Ready-fire-aim. Bust procrastination by taking action immediately after setting a goal, even if the action isn’t perfectly planned. You can always adjust course along the way.

12. Visualize. Visualize your goal as already accomplished. Put yourself into a state of actually being there. Make it real in your mind, and you’ll soon see it in your reality.

13. Single-handling. Once you begin a task, stick with it until it’s 100% complete. Don’t switch tasks in the middle. When distractions come up, jot them down to be dealt with later.

14. Slice and dice. Break complex projects into smaller, well-defined tasks. Focus on completing just one of those tasks.

15. Worst first. To defeat procrastination learn to tackle your most unpleasant task first thing in the morning instead of delaying it until later in the day. This small victory will set the tone for a very productive day.

Adapted from stevepavlina.com