In my work place recently there were some discussions about work efficiency. Below are some of my thoughts.
1. Organize tasks with consideration of priorities and a logic order. Important things does not necessarily require more time to complete but they weigh a lot more than incidental minor tasks. Life experience tells me that successful people work on priorities all the time. Work with a logic order reduces unnecessary reworks and save energy.
2. Manage time and set plans, and most importantly, adhere to the plans in terms of the timing. With a plan in mind you will be more productive. If the deadline is the priority and you have difficulities, you need ask for help or compromise something, but good communication is definitely required.
3. Crack the barriers, get help, and make decisions to keep momentum. Momentum is like a stored energy, you need maintain it. If you are getting slow down, you need find something to boost it up and get back to speed.
4. Be task-driven. In work place, everything we do is a task and require a result. We spend time and work on it is for a result.
5. Stay focused. If you are taken away from the task or you have to move on to next step and you know you have to come back to work on it at a later time, take good notes. It is a good time saver.
6. Borrow others work. Borrow templates, formats, standard letters, even emails from previous projects or even others' work. I guess in most of times, we do not have to invent the wheels. Believe on not, most people like others to use their stuff.
7. Do not be a perfectionist. You will have errors in your work. It is a nature of work of human being. The right attitude it to eliminate mistakes to the best and when errors are discovered, admit it properly and make the correction right away.
Efficiency has a little bit with mentality but mostly is about the way we work, thus is definitely improvable.
