Master of Efficiency

Are you a Master of Efficiency? If you’re like me it probably depends on the day. Some days it feels as though I’m unstoppable, can’t touch this. Other days it’s like I spent the day on the not-so-merry-go-round. Ever been there?

Just what is the key to earning your Master of Efficiency? For some it is a gift, for others it seems to be a hopeless degree. For those of you who are ready to become more efficient I would like to share with you some steps towards developing your own Master of Efficiency (M.E.) strategies.

The first exercise is the hardest, for me anyway. Stop, sit, and really look at what you do in your 24 hour day. Evaluate where and on what you are spending your time. If you made a list of your most important things (MIT), where would the activities in your day fit in on your MIT list? If you don’t have an MIT list, stop and make one. When you have an MIT list it is a bit easier to say no to the things that don’t help you accomplish those things on your list.

Once you have looked at your schedule and reduced the clutter, you’re ready for your next exercise. Look at your work environment. What things in your work space are creating dead ends? Mine used to be my desktop. You know all those attractive desktop organizer things that promise to keep your desk clear? Not so much for me. For me personally, they created more stress. I would hit a brick wall simply because there was all this neatly organized stuff on my desk staring at me. Since my mind tends to try to average 15 thoughts at once, this was a bit distracting, neat and tidy looking but distracting nonetheless.

My solution was to create files in one of my desk drawers to hold said stuff and create scheduled times to deal with said stuff so as to not forget it was in the drawer. This gave me freedom to work without the distraction of seeing the stuff and no worries that I would forget the stuff.

Another common obstacle is work flow. Is your environment conducive to an efficient flow of work? If you are left handed, as I am, this means my desk needs to be arranged so that I can comfortably write to the left of my workstation. My raw materials and resources need to be to my left and my end products need to be on the right. If you are not in your right brain simply reverse this order to suit your right handed, left brain, needs.

Now that you have de-cluttered your time and space and created flow in your environment, your greatest challenge lies before you.

Like any good diet out there you feel great until you go off the diet. If you want to be a continuing Master of Efficiency you need to build in a maintenance plan. Include regularly scheduled maintenance into your calendar. Review your Most Important Things list. Evaluate if your schedule reflects what you say is important to you. De-clutter your time and space. Check your work flow.

In our every day lives we tend to get so busy living that we skip efficiency. We think we’re too busy for it. The amazing thing about efficiency is that with very little investment you get huge returns. To bad we can’t sell that on Wall Street.

As you work on your Master of Efficiency degree, remember these things: Rome wasn’t built in a day and you don’t become efficient in a day. Mastery of anything involves dedication, determination, and perseverance. You can choose to be your own Master of Efficiency.

Wishing you success!

(This article is a reprint of an article written by Regina Collins, Purposed Success, LLC, for the Jenks Express Community Magazine.)