work faster and smarter

Of course, the most important thing to be useful is to Focus on the task at hand.

Paulo Coelho rightly said…

“Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate, and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.”

If you take up more than one job and are not able to give your utmost attention, then the output will not be what you desired. Doing less, i.e., taking up only a particular job and giving your all will help in doing it better and producing better results.

In the process, strictly avoid distractions!

1. Ignore co-workers who want to chat
2. Avoid social media
3. Let non-urgent emails wait
4. Keep the notification button switched off temporarily
5. Use the Internet only to give you solutions to reach your goals. Let it not be a distraction that is deviating you away from your vision or purpose

Example: If you are a homemaker planning to upload a cooking video on YouTube, focus on it, and avoid the juicy gossip going around the neighborhood.

At one point in time, human multitasking was hailed as the most excellent solution for improving productivity. Recent studies have found that multitasking may not be as productive as thought earlier but may cause an increase in errors, reduction in productivity, and ultimately generate immense frustration.

During performing many tasks together, if one task goes wrong, its effect will spill over to other tasks as well. You might also experience severe stress in the process.

But when you do one task after another, you will experience overall efficiency. Hence the need of the hour is to take up one task and do it effectively before going to the next one.

Sometimes you are obliged to help others. Remember that you can do so if you have time and energy at your disposal.

If you do not have any reserves of both, additionally, that particular obligation deviates you from your goals, it is better that you say ‘No’ to take up the task at the start itself.

Even if it is your boss who is piling up tasks on your work desk, find ways to say ‘No’ appropriately.

Learn how to focus on yourself and your goals.

You could fulfill that obligation in another way, which does not clash with your goals, objectives, and purposes, and at the same time, does not have a negative bearing on your time and energy.

Selective working refers to taking up a few tasks and performing it with utmost focus and attention for fruitful consequences.

For example: Assume you are a General Manager of a big firm. There is a simultaneous issue to resolve in two departments – Sales and Production. You can ideally take up one issue and delegate another.

In case you can delegate both, then do the same and involve yourself only at the final stage when you can only make a significant decision. This way, you save your time and energy for any other pressing matters or just concentrating on your firms’ long term goals in the position of a General Manager.

First instance:

Have you worked hard all day taking up multiple tasks, texting, swiping, doing tasks as a favor for others? Running from pillar to post, putting out fires, addressing concerns not your own, and ending the day with high stress and decrease in productivity?

Now consider this…

Some people seem to be resting when you are super busy.

Instead of being busy all day long, they do less (take up lesser tasks) and work intensively, outputting better results. They manage to save time, energy, money, and manpower, which they utilize only for other equally important tasks.

Where do you think is work being completed?

Second instance:

It has been noticed that if a single similar task is given to two persons, one finishes it quickly, but the other takes the whole day to complete it.

Assuming both have completed the work efficiently, one notices how the first person has utilized less time for the job as compared to the second one.

In both cases, the person who took fewer tasks but did it adequately can be considered a successful person.