My systems were completely out of place, and I was still efficient. I reorganized early this year, and became even more so. Here’s a few thoughts about getting work done in this modern world.
Limiting your ability to have attention diverted is the main goal. There are 100’s of ways to get into the micro-level of how to be more efficient…. the above suggestions are simply variations on limiting distraction. You want to limit distraction because you time becomes constantly hijacked by 1 to 3 minute random intervals throughout the day… it’s as if the office water cooler is leaking, and everyone is there to talk about it. This breaks up the time to efficiently finish chores or task, effectively breaking up 10 30 minute tasks into 100 3 minute tasks…. and the execution and professional acumen can not compete with something done thoroughly, and thoughtfully. The multi-tasking actually creates less efficiency, and you end up completing 10 tasks in a longer amount of time, and they aren’t as well organized or presented. Identify systems that work for you, then figure out “batching”. I am sort of joking, but not really.
A Harvard Business Review article talks about flow, a fascinating zen concept. It’s obvious this is a wonderful concept to relate how frustratingly disruptive modern work environments have become…. and how interruptive it is to flow. It’s lovely to see us understanding how important fluid rhythm is in our life… https://blogs.hbr.org/2014/05/create-a-work-environment-that-fosters-flow/
FOSTER FLOW!
Here’s a few simple thoughts:
1) I note that creating specific bookmark bar links that lead directly to the pages you need – so you don’t end up on irrelevant social sites while needing to do something (research info about people, going to a biz page on a social site like yelp or twitter)….
2) make your home page something other than consumer, news, or social sites. Make it google, etc. clean pages with zero information or distraction.
3) Simplify your physical and computer desktop – think less distraction in the real or virtual worlds.
4) Also… using tasks in google calendar has really helped me line up tasks and feel empowered with the check mark when it’s completed.
5) Classical music. You have no idea what it does for your mind and body at a desk. Try it, even if not a fan.
6) Follow through, and finish one thing at a time (as best you can in this world).
7) Check email in the morning, at lunch, and at night…. but do not hang out on email all day. It fractionalizes your attention by constantly dinging your dopamine receptors, which keep getting alerted and sending small surges of adrenalin through your body so you keep jerking from one thought, and many tasks, all at the same time. This is a rule of thumb… do your best.
8) Multi-tasking is the enemy. You don’t do things thoroughly, or well. It is also known to cause depression. You might think your smart phone has given you an edge in dominating your email, but it’s just put you on a leash and more addicted to it.
9) Don’t let technology own you.
10) I killed Facebook. It’s not harmless, when you spend minutes that add up into hours, throughout days. The return on my investment didn’t make sense, and it didn’t add value to neither my professional life nor personal.
11) I got a flip phone. If I am not at my desk, I am in meetings, or I am commuting. Emails and business done on the go is neither efficient nor professional, and albeit the addendum “excuse any misspellings, sent from my phone” shouldn’t get us off the hook, it seems to have done so. But now, I answer questions, or ask questions, quickly via a phone call, and that’s that. If you are in a construction meeting and need an answer, you aren’t going to passively send an email from your smartphone. You need answers… you call someone. To this day, it’s true. The endless amount of time I have picked up by having a flip phone has not only made me calmer, it’s made me more thoughtful, and better at doing math in my head, or remembering dates or phone numbers. Never too old to retrain the brain.
12) Celebrate even the most minor of successes. Remind yourself what you are doing, because that kind of positive energy is usually all the motivation I need to keep going, keep efficient, and hopefully create a bit of success for the team. =)