How to be More Efficient

Important: GDPR Email Preferences

As you may already know, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be coming into effect on 25th May 2018. We take your privacy seriously and we are working hard to ensure we comply with the new data protection laws. You can find out more about how we're doing this in our privacy policy on our website.

We want to make sure you continue to receive the latest newsletters, blogs, special offers and more.

As someone who has opted-in to receive our emails in the past, we’d like to give you this opportunity to confirm what you wish to receive:

Just so you know, if you don’t let us know what kinds of emails you want to receive from us, we’ll stop emailing you on the 24th May 2018 - you'll be missing out!

You are of course free to change your mind at any time – just follow the link at the bottom of any of our emails.

How to be More Efficient

To be more efficient, you should:

1. Develop a strong sense of "goal focus".
2. Do only those things that contribute to the achievement of your goal.
3. Avoid doing anything that does NOT contribute to the achievement of your goal.
4. Prioritise your tasks properly.
5. Don't multi-task. Instead, focus and concentrate on the task at hand.
6. Delegate as much work as is possible.
7. Take regular breaks to refresh and replenish the mind and body.
8. Keep good order. Don't be a messy worker.
9. Automatise and systematise your work.

Let us say a few words on each.

1. Develop a strong sense of goal focus.

Efficient action presupposes the concept of GOAL. Because efficient action means, "efficiently achieve a goal".

The biggest inefficiency is to be unclear on WHAT it is that you are trying to achieve. Many people waste time doing things that do not contribute to their goal, simply because they have not spent sufficient time thinking about the answer to this all-important question:

"WHAT are you trying to achieve?"

2. Do only those things that contribute to the achievement of your goal.

Now you know your goal, do only those things that relate to the goal. Don't do things that don't relate to the goal. And especially don't do things that are counterproductive to your goal.

Many people suffer because they take one step forward and two steps back.

Make sure every step you take is in the direction of your dreams.

3. Refuse to do those things that do NOT contribute to the achievement of your goal.

See above notes.

4. Prioritise tasks do that you do the most valuable things first.

To achieve your goal, there may be a thousand things that you need to do; But you cannot do them all simultaneously, so you need to prioritise. Prioritisation is the act of putting things into the right order.

Do things in priority order.

Don't do things in order of likeability, or ease, or by random chance.

Think it through logically; do things in the right order.

5. Don't multi-task. Instead, focus and concentrate on the task at hand.

Multi-tasking is the error of trying to do multiple tasks at the same time.

Multi-tasking is FAKE NEWS.

This is a big mistake. If you are driving the car, DON'T text people at the same time.

Instead, focus your mind on the task at hand.

You will get more done in less time if you focus your mind onto a single point.

6. Delegate as much work as is possible.

Because you cannot do everything simultaneously, you need to delegate tasks to other people. Get all the help you can. Utilise the help that is available. Don't think that you can, or should do it, all yourself.

Time is a limited resource, and there is an unlimited demand on your time.

You cannot do it all, so you need to delegate.

7. Take regular breaks to refresh and replenish the mind and body.

Take frequent breaks to allow for recuperation. Recuperation is an often-neglected facet of peak performance.

You have only so much energy, enthusiasm and motivation.

The formula to remember is "Stimulus, response. Stimulus, response. Stimulus, response."

The formula is not, "Stimulus; stimulus; stimulus; stimulus..."

You need to give yourself time to rest, recuperate and allow your body to repair itself. Only by keeping yourself refreshed and replenished, will you succeed.

8. Keep good order. Don't be a messy worker.

Efficient action is ordered action. Disorder, messy, unsystematic action is inefficient and usually fails to achieve the goal.

Do not be fooled by the current trend to idealise chaos. Chaotic action is not efficient.

You would not want to board an aircraft whose cabin crew were in a state of chaos. You only want to board an aeroplane whose cabin crew seem to be ordered, systematic and controlled.

Think of your work as being likened to the flying of an aircraft, where everything is measured, systematised, well ordered and controlled.

9. To the degree that is possible, automatise your work.

Use automatised systems whenever possible. If you can use an automated system to do any aspect of your work, then use it.

Machines make life easier, because machines don't forget to do things, they don't get tired, and they are often more reliable.

Everyone has access to many applications on their phone that will allow them to automatise and systematise many aspects of their performance.

Take advantage of technology.

The difference between you and a cave man is NOT more brains, but more technology. Don't be a primitive cave man (or woman). Use technology to the best degree possible.

Get the machines on your side.

Personal Development Training

Personal Development Training

In order to improve your performance, you may need to develop your personal and professional skills: meaning: skills of communication, planning, prioritisation, motivation and personal confidence. If you want to learn more, then click here for personal development training.

Blogs by Email

Do you want to receive an email whenever we post a new blog? The blogs contain article 5-10 minutes long - ideal for reading during your coffee break!

Your Comments

Further Reading in Personal Effectiveness

• How to be more successful
  How to be more successful Because of the law of cause and effect, there are causes for everything. Everything that occurs has definite causes. If you want something specific to occur, then you must affect the specific causes. If success is what you wish to achieve you must affect the specific...
  Read Article >
• Theory and Practice
  You can make some progress using trial and error, but it can be fraught with danger. To achieve a more reliable outcome, it is far better to use a proper theory and intelligent practice. So what is a proper theory?
  Read Article >
• The importance of having an exercise programme
  It is important not to neglect your physical health. Whatever your age, gender or current situation, you can always improve your situation by taking up a balanced exercise regime, as suggested in this article.
  Read Article >
• The Seven Habits of Highly Defective People
  Learn the seven habits of highly effective people.
  Read Article >
• Emotional Intelligence
  Emotional intelligence is the ability to empathise, or understand and appreciate how another person feels, given their context. Learn how to develop your emotional intelligence.
  Read Article >