Be Efficient, Not Productive

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Becoming More Efficient

Set goals that go beyond simple quantity measures. Find other ways to work smarter that could lead to significant productivity increases.

It is better to do less and accomplish more than to do more and accomplish less. Consider how you do every task during the day, regardless of the size.

Productive vs Efficient

Productivity measures how much you do or produce within a given timeframe.
Efficiency is about being productive with less effort.

To be more productive in a way that won't burn you out over time, you have to understand how to be more efficient. Productivity often leads to working harder, while efficiency focuses on working smarter.

The Right Questions

When companies have more work than they can handle, they tend to ask, "Who will do this work?" But the better questions are:

How should this get done?
Is this the best way to do this?
Is there a more efficient way to do this?
Should I be doing this?

Identify what can be automated, delegated or be replaced in favor of something else. Even if it only saves you a few minutes, it will add up over time.

Broad-Strokes Efficiency

Efficiency is not limited to how you perform specific tasks. Consider how the general way you work impacts your efficiency.

Work in a way that complements your internal clock.
Find out how to get yourself into a flow state when you need to do deep work.
Take more and better breaks, so you'll be more refreshed and focused throughout the day.