Since time is the only commodity that cannot be gained, multiplied, or banked, here are three simple ways for you to become more effective in the use of your time:
1. Stop doing the things that don’t really matter
- Peter Drucker sums it up well in his book The Effective Executive. Ask yourself “‘What would happen if this were not done at all?’ And if the answer is, ‘Nothing would happen,’ then obviously the conclusion is to stop doing it.”
2. Delegate, delegate, delegate
- If you find yourself doing the same thing over and over again, record the steps and find someone else who can do it for you. They may even do it better than you, and it will free you up to do what only you can uniquely do.
3. Don’t waste other people’s time
- Drucker encourages leaders to ask their coworkers and reports, “What do I do that wastes your time without contributing to your effectiveness?” It’s a scary question to ask, but you may find out that the things that you do, for the sake of collaboration and team work, may actually have an incredibly low ROI (return on investment).
What are your thoughts? Do you have any other suggestions or ways to become more efficient?