While learning how to be more efficient may be a universal goal, only some will be able to achieve it. Improved efficiency won’t happen by itself. You need to have a plan in place to limit your procrastination. And delaying what needs to get done only leaves you feeling more anxious and leads to a longer to-do list. So if improving your efficiency is one of your top resolutions for 2024, read on. Below, three ways to accomplish more in less time.
1. Find Tools That Work for You
Technological advances have made it easier to get more done faster. With a click of a button, you can have your groceries delivered to your doorstep. You can get a response back instantaneously from someone across the globe via text messaging. And you can deposit a check at-home by taking a photo of it with your phone via your financial institution’s app.
The trick is to figure out what areas you need help in and the subsequent tools that will work for you. A parent may utilize a shared photo album with the extended family so they don’t have to regularly text or email all of their children’s photos. A busy executive or CEO may rely on a productivity or project management app like Notion, Monday.com, or ClickUp to help stay on top of their workflow. And just about everyone relies on digital calendars, although some have mastered the art of using them more than others.
For instance, flipping through multiple digital calendars before making any appointment or setting up a meeting is a waste of time. But with a calendar management tool, you can sync and merge calendars from various sources so all the populated information is aggregated. If a colleague enters a meeting on your work calendar, it will update on your merged calendars. That way, you avoid double booking yourself or scrambling to make the back-to-back appointments you mistakenly made for the same day. Finding tools that work with your life will leave you feeling more accomplished and productive each day.
2. Set Boundaries
Learning to set boundaries is a lifelong lesson that will improve nearly all aspects of your life, but that’s especially true in the efficiency department. Before you immediately say “yes” when your sister asks you to pick her kids up from school a few days every week, take a pause. Are you really able to take this on? What will you have to sacrifice in order to do so? If now is just not the right time for you to take on another commitment, let it be known.
While you may not always be able to say no to a family member, talk through your priorities with them. They may not realize that their request means you’re skipping your beloved workout time or that it means taking a weekly team meeting from the car. If you feel compelled, suggest another way to help out that will enhance your life. Maybe you can pick up the kids early on a Saturday and take them to the park while your sister gets some housework done.
Setting boundaries is difficult, but it’s a way of honoring your time. If you don’t want to go to the happy hour with your colleagues, say no. Remember, in many instances “no” is a full sentence, and you don’t need to give a reason for why you aren’t agreeing to do something. Setting boundaries — and sticking with them — enables you to be more productive and efficient with your time.
3. Tweak Your Environment
Your surroundings can make all the difference in how your day unfolds. If you wake up from your smartphone’s alarm clock and immediately begin answering emails, you’re setting the vibe for the day. You’re in a reactive state and prioritizing others’ needs before your own. The same goes if you start scrolling Instagram before you start your workday. You’re being inspired externally, not internally.
By tweaking your environment, you can be more efficient. When you feel composed and relaxed, you’re more likely to feel more creative, inspired, and therefore more productive. On the other hand, a cluttered desk with dirty dishes and junk mail can make you feel more anxious. Take a few minutes at the end of the day to clear off what you don’t need and file everything else away. Add a low-maintenance plant to your workspace since greenery can reduce stress and boost productivity.
As for your phone, it’s ideal to buy a physical alarm clock and store all your devices in another room overnight. If that isn’t an option, keep your phone charging as far away from your bed as possible. That way, you will have to physically get up to touch it, which lessens the temptation to scroll. Leaving it on airplane mode as often as possible makes it less of a distraction as well. And the less distracted you are, the more you’re able to fully focus on whatever task is at hand.
Takeaways
Being more efficient isn’t supposed to be hard. What may be hard is figuring out how you can achieve optimal efficiency. Take a moment to think about what is pulling you back. If it’s a particularly tedious task, perhaps there is a tool to help you complete it more swiftly. If it’s something that is diverting your attention, see if you can switch up your environment. Conquering your efficiency goals in 2024 may be a yearlong goal, but it’s one that will pay off beyond the calendar year.
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