Three Ways to Work More Efficieltly in 2021

A recurring theme in recent conversations has been productivity, avoiding burnout, and developing a desirable work-life balance. Common obstacles include an inability to focus, being repeatedly distracted, and struggling to switch off when outside the office (or home office!).

Like many of the professional and personal challenges I have encountered, and helped others with, there is a process to overcoming each of these obstacles.

When in this position, ask yourself these three questions.

1. What would it take to finish my work 1-2 hours before the end of my scheduled work day?

Assuming you work 9am-6pm, like most people in corporate jobs in Asia, what would it take to finish by 4 pm? This would give you two hours to address ad hoc issues, engage with colleagues, and support team members.

The necessary changes may go beyond minor adjustments in your efficiency. You can’t reduce the time it takes to produce a report by five minutes, shorten meetings by 10 minutes, or skip bathroom breaks to find those two hours, and most people already work overtime on a regular basis.

A study by global office space provider Regus revealed that 19% of Hong Kong interviewees put in an average of two to four hours overtime every week. This figure is similar to other Asian countries, including mainland China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, where 20-30% work that many overtime hours.

This question forces you to identify fundamental changes you can make to how you work, and focus on what’s important. Everyone, and every industry, is different, but how long do you need for meetings? Are they even necessary at all? Are your resources working effectively? It’s very easy to succumb to Parkinson’s Law, which states that “work expands to fill the time available for its completion”.

2. How do I manage my diary? Would I benefit from mapping out my days?

If you have an important meeting scheduled for 4pm, how much time do you schedule beforehand for preparation?

Invariably, I find that people don’t account for preparation, or any time other than the actual meeting itself. Often, this thinking time is done outside of office hours, distracting you from your personal life, which can be detrimental to mental health and wellbeing over a long period.

There is also the consideration of the flow state, as studied by Steven Kotler. There is only so much time in the day when you can achieve maximum efficiency and focus. I was once presented with a proposed schedule that had every hour of the day allocated to productive work. Literally, every hour. This is simply not feasible, and will subject you to incredible strain, and eventual burnout. It is imperative to balance your day with a mix of focused and unfocused tasks. It may not be exciting, but schedule a time to clean out your email inbox.

In How to Be Chief Executive of Your Own Life, the excellent book by Mike Wilson, co-founder of St. James’s Place Wealth Management, he describes how he prepares for all the day’s meetings first thing in the morning, so he feels prepared for the day, and can focus on conversations with colleagues as they arise. How often have you said, “Sorry I can’t talk right now, I need to prepare a report”, or “get to a meeting”? You may not want to hear it, but it probably means you haven’t planned appropriately.

3. Am I capable of completing what I’m trying to achieve?

If not, you’re probably not the best person for the job at hand.

As a fast and final strategy to help you take back control of your time, ask yourself these three questions for each of your tasks on hand:

1. Does it help me achieve my objective?
2. Do I like doing it?
3. Do I have the expertise to complete it?

We all have those tasks that we put off until the last possible minute. It’s probably because the answer to one of the above questions is no. When this is the case, you may want to consider putting it on hold, involving someone else, or delegating/outsourcing the task as appropriate.

In summary, if you’re struggling to focus, on the edge of burnout, or just want to improve your work-life balance, ask yourself the following three questions:

1. What would it take to finish my work 1-2 hours before the end of my scheduled working hours?
2. How do I manage my diary? Would I benefit from mapping out my days?
3. Am I the best person to complete what I am trying to achieve?

Once mastered, you will enjoy your work more, be more productive, and focus better on making a positive impact.

As an entrepreneur, employee, and mentor, I’m fascinated by personal development and helping people achieve their personal and professional objectives. I post related content regularly, so please follow The UnExtraordinaries to receive updates. If you enjoyed this article, consider giving it a Like or sharing it, to help it reach a wider audience. If you want to get in touch, feel free to contact me here or on LinkedIn.

Have a great day!