Create an Efficiency State of Mind

"The first step to automation is admitting you have an automation problem." 

When I find myself in a moment of frustration because some task is taking much longer than I anticipated I often wonder how I could be smarter about doing the task instead of just trying to push through so I can be done with the experience. You've probably heard the adage, "work smarter, not harder". You probably even believe in the concept like I do. However, it has taken me quite some time to figure out how to consistently put that saying into action. The key is to develop an "Efficiency State Of Mind". Here are some things to try: 

1. If you find yourself doing the same task more than once always ask yourself and others "can this task be automated?". 

2. When someone you manage asks for help with a task, look for ways to empower them to never need to ask you again. 

3. To borrow my VP of Operations method, attempt to categorize tasks as 'left brain' vs. 'right brain'. 

Can your tasks be automated? 

The first step to automation is admitting you have an automation problem. If you do the same task over and over again (e.g. filling out forms, analyzing data, writing reports, processing transactions, etc.) ask yourself how the task might be automated. Then share your automation idea or problem with someone else for additional input and assistance. Collaboration leads to further breakthroughs for solutions which can include software products you can buy, simple programs that might be developed or possibly rearranging the order in which you do the task to eliminate steps. 

Can you empower someone else to automate tasks? 

It can be hard to learn that when your team asks for your help you don't actually have to perform the task yourself, even if you are faster at doing the job. Instead focus on empowering AND encouraging them to find ways of making the tasks go faster. For example, when I started my forms business I was the fastest form builder in my company. Today my team has found ways to eliminate people, manual tasks and improve the process to build forms 3 times faster than I ever could. 

Is your task a left or right brain task? 

The left side of your brain is the analytical and process-oriented side, while the right is creative and free-form. If a task you are doing is more left-brain oriented (logical, pattern-based, process-oriented, rules-based, etc) then it most likely can be automated! Think about it... a computer is the biggest left-brain ever invented. Computers live to take orders and repetitively perform tasks and functions. If you can replace a task with a computer program, do it. In my company our people are focused on performing the right-brain tasks and outsourcing the left brain tasks to computers or service providers. It's a simple way to become more efficient. 

These three methods certainly help create the efficient state of mind, but there is one more I'll mention: clear your mind. A clear mind is free to work in the most efficient manner possible because it is not bound by predefined ways of thinking (i.e. the attitude "that's how it's always been done here"). If you can narrow your focus on the task at hand, and only think about that task, your mind will be more clear and naturally more efficient as a result.