Making ourselves more efficient is something to strive for, especially in the workplace. Here are our top ten tips:
- Set Weekly Targets – Start the week by deciding what you want to get done by Friday. Then set aside enough time to achieve your target and do not get distracted.
- Work Less – By making a conscious decision to work fewer hours, it will force you to prioritise and make more use of the time you have.
- De-Clutter – Not only does it help with keeping on top of the paperwork, it also helps with deciding what’s important and what’s not.
- Make The Decision – Do not be afraid to make a decision and commit to it. Don’t wait for a perfect solution as there are few occasions where it cannot be reviewed and improved upon later.
- Delegate – Taking on too much can be draining. Learn to break down jobs into tasks that can be delegated to others. Often they will do the task better than you can.
- Look After Your Health – No one works well when they are over-stressed or tired so it is important to balance work with relaxation. Everyone is different so you have to find what is right for you.
- Avoid Pointless Meetings – Everyone should know the purpose of a meeting so that they can be prepared and decisions made. Set a time for the meeting to end so that it comes to a decision and does not go on forever.
- Be Prepared To Say No – There are only so many hours in a day so if it is not important or it is somebody else’s job then be prepared to say so.
- Play Nicely – Sometimes it cannot be avoided but no one gains if there is friction with customers or suppliers or between employees. Driving a hard bargain is one thing but take it too far and it will only happen once.
- Concentrate On What Motivates You – There are always jobs that you cannot avoid but if you focus on what you are really interested in then you are likely to achieve more.