You’ve read the bestsellers and best practices. Some of the tips work wonders. Others may not be your cuppa. Today, we're going to flip some of the tried and true suggestions on their head to go about things a different way.
My name is Joy, and I’m delighted you’ve joined me here. My superpower is getting an insane amount of work done in very little time compared to other humans (so I’m told), with less stress and far more enjoyment. I’m asked on a regular basis if I ever sleep. The answer is a big cozy yes! I adore sleep. As far as I’m concerned, fluffy pillows and plush bedding are among life’s greatest pleasures.
So then how do I simultaneously write books, design logos & book covers, take time nearly daily to do favors for others, create digital escapish room games & murder mystery activities, work on online courses, wage a Reading Revolution and run a busy arts nonprofit that hosts oodles of theme events each year? I efficiencize! Being efficient isn’t a matter of being a machine as you work. It’s a matter of making the most of your resources to streamline tasks, preferably while enjoying the process. This list features 11 of my go-to strategies. I hope you find a thing or two that works for you!
- It’s the little things — This tip is the most counter-intuitive on the list, but it’s one I swear by. Is there a little icing-on-the cake part of a project you want to do, but fear it might get lost in the shuffle and never come to fruition? If so, do it first! Strange as it sounds, doing non-essential tasks as soon as you can helps ensure overall project success. Why?
Because of the fact the little things are not vital to our overall plan, they often go unaddressed. Conversely, when it comes to the big stuff, we will always find a way to get it done! By doing the little things here and there when you have time—in between periods of intense work—when showtime comes, you’ll be delighted to find how well prepared you are instead of running around scrambling to handle last minute details.
- Above and beyond — Do a little more work than you need to. When we do just a bit more than is necessary, we’ll not only be ahead of the game, but can sandbag the extra work for a rainy day when something comes up that prevents us from progressing. For example: if I’m in writing mode and have calculated I need to write 3000 words each day in order to be done with my book on time, I will stick with it until I hit 3000 … and then I’ll try to write 500 more. Why?
Because there’s going to come a day where there is some sort of emergency, when someone needs me to drop everything to assist them, when the electricity goes out or the car goes dead … or I hit the wall and need a break. When this happens, I can rely on the extra 500 words I’ve written here and there to get me through my unexpected day off without losing momentum or putting me behind. Then I can take the time off guilt-and-stress free since I was already ahead of the game. Sandbagging little bits of extra work enables you to breathe easy when things go sideways. - Reality check — I’m big into self-care. I’m not talking about going for a mani-pedi as a means of making myself feel better, or indulging in retail therapy. I’m talking about caring for myself daily in ways that make me feel great from the inside out. And one of the best ways I can go about my day without pressure is to be realistic about my expectations for the day.
Setting realistic goals is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself. When planning my schedule and tasks, I always build in time for interruptions, meals, life, and who knows what else. And I estimate timeframes based on the minimum I think I can get done. Using my writing example, I give myself a goal of 500 words in an hour. Doesn’t sound like much—especially when you consider how many people (like my sister) easily type over 100 words per minute! In an hour, that would be 6000 words! Does this mean I am such a slow typist I can only cobble about 8 words per minute?
Nope, even though I really am a lousy typist. What it actually means is that I’ve factored into my calculations the likelihood of people calling, nature calling, taking my dog out, running a load of laundry, doing dishes while waiting for the microwave to ding, responding to messages, talking outside to my friendly next door neighbor, etc. In so doing, I rarely fail to achieve my daily goals, because they are doable. - The carrot, not the stick — I already mentioned I engage in self-care regularly. One of the primary ways I do this is by offering myself incentives. I’ve never been the type that responds well to aggressive drill-sergeant tactics. If you want me to do something, bribe me with the promise of a cookie or a viewing of a favorite movie. Don’t threaten me with dire consequences. I’m already doing my best and don’t need more pressure or penalties. That said, you must of course do what is right for you. And what is right for me is knowing that there’s a petit four and cup of Yorkshire Gold waiting for me when I get through with a particularly odious audio-editing session. (Audio editing is so rough for me, I've taken to calling it dreaditing)
- Work backwards — This to me has always been an obvious strategy, so I was shocked to find out it’s something of an aha concept to others. When you have a goal that involves a due date, figure out what you need to do and start plugging in your objectives and tasks beginning at the finish line and go backwards, adding things to your schedule until you get to the current day or week. Make a point to add in lots of time for life and the unknown, as discussed in tip 3 about realistic goals and expectations.
If after plugging everything in you realize you won’t get it all done in time unless you can travel to the past, either change the date of the goal or add a little bit more onto your daily or weekly schedule. Mind you, add just a little, not so much that it would exhaust you or crush your spirits. - Play to your strengths — Better yet, play to your team’s strengths. If there’s something you’re good at and can do with ease, go for it! On the other hand, is there something that is utter drudgery for you that someone else can do in their sleep? If so, team up, or delegate. When we do what comes easily to us and others do the same, we can get far more done in less time. We discuss this, with examples, in our Efficiency Expedition workshop. It’s been a real game-changer for people—myself included.
- Monotask — Do not multitask. I repeat, do not multitask. It is a huge mental energy drain requiring us to shift back and forth between ideas and projects rapid fire. We have a handout on this very subject as part of our Reading for Keeps series created to instill in children a lifelong love of books and learning. In our Efficiency Expedition workshop we quoted the stat that “People who multitask decrease their productivity by 20-40% and are less efficient than those who focus on one project at a time.”
In a nutshell, multitasking bad. Monotasking good. Focus on one thing at a time and give it your full attention. Batch your work as needed to achieve this. Example: instead of responding to each email one by one, set aside some time to get them all done at once. I suppose it’s only fair to confess I don’t do this. I elect to respond to things as they come so that I get them out of the way and don’t have to put them on a list or do them later. It’s out of laziness really, but I don’t advocate it for others. - Productive procrastination — It’s true I churn out a goodly amount of work daily, but it doesn’t mean I’m always in the mood to do a particular task. When I feel like goofing off (which happens more often than I care to admit), I do something that is still productive but feels fun and sneaky at the moment, like I’m getting away with something because I should really be doing that other thing. For instance, if I just cannot bring myself to face my nemesis, dreaditing, I’ll do something else I don’t really need to do just yet, such as design a logo or book cover or work on my calendar—usually while background bingewatching something.
This accomplishes what we talked about in tips 1 & 2. By doing tasks that are unnecessary at the moment, when the time comes that the tasks must be completed, they will already be done! It’s as if I’ve given myself a little present with the finished book cover or to-do entry. Of course, duty will ensure I get the audio editing done on time because I must. Confession, I’m working on this Efficiencizey list right now specifically because I’m not in the mood to edit a very long podcast interview. I’ll work on that later today, cuz the clock is still ticking. - Engage autopilot — I don’t like to think; at least not when it comes to the stuff I have to do once I wake up. So I plan a day ahead. By knowing before I go to bed what I’ll be doing the next day, what my meals will be, what I’ll wear, and what times I’ll do what to ensure I’m where I’m supposed to be when I’m supposed to be there, I don’t have to “think” about any of this stuff when the time comes. I set my pre-planned day on autopilot, then just put into action what I’ve already worked out in thought. For me, this makes the day much simpler.
- Make things FUN! — This cannot be stressed enough. If you enjoy what you’re doing, you apply yourself to the task at hand with gusto. The time will fly by and next thing you know … Voila! If you don’t love what you do, you have a choice. Either do something else, or if that’s not an option, find a way to love it. If nothing else, be thankful that your job is bringing in a paycheck.
So find the joy in what you’re doing instead of greener-grassing about something else. Having fun is always up to you, even when it comes to chores and routine tasks. That’s why we created our Everything Is an Adventure training—to help you transform mundane tasks into magical opportunities for enrichment and enjoyment. - When you’re done, be done — If you’ve worked hard and pushed to get a project or specific amount of work done by day’s end and you find yourself with a few extra minutes, do not do one lick of work more if you’re spent. Does this sound like a contradiction of Tip 2? The second tip was about being on a roll and doing more than the minimum, which is great if and when you can do it. But if you’re knackered or heading into burnout territory, hit the brakes and use the extra time to do something relaxing and enjoyable. This will recharge and refuel you for the next day’s sprint.
Thanks for stopping by! Please feel free to poke around a bit.
And when you're serious about streamlining daily life, join us for one of our Efficiencizing trainings where you'll learn to get more done with less ugh!