7 Tips on How to Work Better

(Image Courtsey: https://ilbelfarniente.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/howtoworkbetter.jpg)

Until about 4 years back, family and friends found me ever busy and my professional front was always spilling. Ironically, the harder I tried, the more I failed on both fronts. I was skilled, did not spend one task-less minute, and lived self-effaced. I was an epitome of dedication. What was amiss then?

The right work methodology! My mistake, I was trying the same failed fundamentals with more earnest each time. I was questioning my efforts, but not my work methods. Does it sound familiar to you?

After fully becoming conscious of what this was costing me, I sat down and analyzed my work rules. I replaced them with new ones that suited my life much better. 

Today, as I write this, my writing business has grown well; I have set up my other venture of Indian handicrafts; I pursue my passions of traveling, learning about different cultures and the arts, cooking, and writing; I get my solitude; I socialize or network, and I spend time with my family and friends. Life largely looks sorted, beautiful, and productive.

I may not be 100% efficient always, but I am quite there most of the time. You too can. I am sharing my magic list with you here. Hope you too will find it helpful.

1. Plan.

For a restless soul, planning is a drag – it’s boring and a total time waste. But in fact, the benefits of planning increase with the complexity of the task.

Walking to the kitchen to pour yourself a cup of coffee may not require much planning, but creating your personal budget does. Preparing a project flow plan does. When you outline a process, you visualize your goal and the factors influencing it.

Planning helps boost the favorable factors and minimize the workflow bottlenecks. It’s where you start. So get planning first!

2. Organize Work.

Divide your work in small, simple, but logically arranged tasks to be executed in a sequence. This way tracking a job’s status and debugging it become easy. Be it payroll management or throwing a party, efficiency will be your best friend.

3. Delegate.

It’s okay to take help. It does not decimate your competence. Instead, it endorses your management skills. We often waste time delivering basic tasks rather than working on the strategic ones.

For example, hiring a housekeeper leaves you with some time for family, friends, and yourself. Similarly, recruiting operations executives helps a project manager focus on client relationship management and exploring ways to grow.    

4. Multitask Sensibly.

Multitasking can be a real timesaver. The jobs must fit in together, though. To be honest, there is no such thing as simultaneous tasks. Some processes are self-regulatory and the time you save here can be used for other work.

For example, while your washing machine runs, you can utilize the time for any other indoor task. Alternatively, you can continue working on your workstation, while the printer does its job.

On the other hand, it is an inefficient idea to put your pot to boil, while you give your baby a bath upstairs. You may end up with the overflowing curry or your child left in the bathroom all by herself.

The trick is, correctly estimate the time a task takes. Do not try to utilize every second you have to wait for a process. Keep some buffer and you are good to go!

5. Focus.

This age-old tool ensures twofold successes each time. Firstly, you take less time than you would if you spent time simultaneously on other things too. Secondly, you work better.

Focus can help you discover your newer limits. You not only improve the current results but also set the stage for future.

6. Practice.

Practice hard to gain speed and accuracy. The idea is to learn or develop smarter techniques as you work.

7. Look for More Tricks to Work Better.

Devise smarter work methods. Be receptive to others’ suggestions. Be flexible to adopt and implement noteworthy changes.

Your ultimate goal is to work faster and better, irrespective of whose method you work on. Being rigid here is not worth your ego. Office automation is a concrete example of someone’s revolutionary idea changing the workplace scenario.

These were my steps to work efficiency. We all deserve personal growth. So breathe, work, and feel happy about your life. You can do this by learning how to work better.

(Written by Rakhi Sinha, Founder & Owner, The Syntax Systems, for PickYourGoals.com - http://www.pickyourgoals.com/productivity/how-to-work-better/)