6 rules to work less and
accomplish more
Working less and accomplishing more
isn’t easy. It requires thinking creatively
to find more effective ways of doing
things. But first you have to be open to
the possibility that your methods aren’t
as efficient as they could be. Once you do
that you can look for ways to get more
accomplished without just increasing
your to-do list.
Here are a few guidelines to start looking:
1) The 80/20 Rule
The 80/20 rule basically suggests that a small amount of inputs contributes
to a much larger amount of outputs. Using this rule means to minimize
time spent in the unproductive 80%.
In application, you can’t simply cut everything that doesn’t directly
contribute to your bottom line. Some things, however trivial, still need to
get done. The purpose of 80/20 is to force you to be more ruthless in
cutting time in areas that contribute little.
Here are a few suggestions:
Cut e-mail time to invest more in larger projects.
Say no to people who want commitments that don’t contribute enough value.
Spend more studying core concepts and key terms than less important details.
2) Parkinson’s Law
Parkinson’s Law states that “work will fill the time available for its
completion.” This is a side effect of focusing on doing work instead of
getting projects completed. Give yourself strict deadlines and cultivate a
desire to finish projects, not just check tasks off on a to-do list.
Here are some important:
Set a timer for 90 minutes to finish a small project. When the timer
sounds, you can’t continue working on it, so think fast and don’t waste
time.
Chunk mammoth projects into smaller pieces. Strive to complete those
pieces, rather than just working on the project aimlessly.
3) Energy Management
Energy management, as opposed to time management, forces you to think
of results as a function of energy, not time invested. Working intensely for a
short period of time can accomplish more than working for days, tired and
distracted.
Working yourself into low energy can actually make you accomplish less
than if you rested.
Here are some ideas:
Work in bursts. Divide yourself between complete rest and complete
focus. Don’t constantly switch in-between which leaves you neither
rested or productive.
Kill projects. Don’t spread tasks that only take a few hours over several
days. Sit down and finish them in one sitting. This method of killing
projects keeps your energies focused and time saved.
Rest, health and fun matter. Enslaving yourself to your work can
actually accomplish less. Master the ability to recharge yourself when
you need it.
4) Only Use Sharp Tools
There’s an old story of two lumberjacks in a tree-cutting contest. The first
picked up a rusty axe and ran into the woods immediately to start chopping
trees. The second spent almost until the end of the contest sharpening his
axe. After which he walked up and quickly felled the biggest tree.
The moral? Don’t use rusty tools.
Don’t waste your time doing things you don’t intend to be excellent at.
Delegate them to someone who does have a sharp tool. And for the things
you do want to master, make it a priority to sharpen your tool beyond what
is necessary to cut. Skill saves time.
5) Rule With Numbers
Assumptions are the biggest waste of your time. When your intuitions
about the world don’t match the way it works, you can never be efficient.
The only way to combat false assumptions is to test them and follow them
up with numbers. The results of a test can save you hundreds of hours if it
shows a current process has no impact or suggests a faster alternative.
Here are a few examples:
A/B Tests - Test out two different methods simultaneously. This can
allow you to know with greater accuracy which method works best.
Track Numbers - Don’t just weigh yourself or count calories, track
them. See how they go up, down or change over time.
6) The Marginal Rule of Quality
Is it better to be a perfectionist or sloppy? One can never get a project
finished the other requires constant repair because they waste too much
time. I think the answer is simpler: when the extra input you invest exceeds
the output gained, stop working on it.
An even better extension of this rule would be to say you should stop
working on a project when the extra input invested gives less output than
doing a comparable task.
Here are some applications to try:
Measure the difference between different amounts of time spent. Try
doing your e-mail for 30, 60 and 90 minutes per day. Compare the
effectiveness changes when you change the amount of time. Can you
really justify spending two hours doing e-mail?
Compare the amount of time spent polishing with time needed for
repairs. If it takes more time to polish than repair, you’re better of
quitting early. If repairs are draining your time and polishing is fast,
slow down and be careful.
Thanks
Roshni
