When time
is limited, you need to find the quickest way to your goal. Finding shortcuts is not about “cheating” or taking
the easy way out—it’s about becoming a more efficient person. For you
perfectionists out there: Remember, it’s usually preferable to have something
completed (even if it’s imperfect) than never done at all.
For each
item on your to-do list, ask yourself: Is there a quicker way to get this done?
Skipping certain steps can diminish one-time projects. Want to get your photos
organized? Instead of waiting for enough time to create artistically perfect
albums, try grouping them by date or occasion and placing them in well-labeled
decorative photo shoeboxes. Writing a proposal or thank-you note? Use a
previously accepted proposal or thank-you note as a model, and change the
details instead of starting from scratch. Planning a special meal for company?
Try one new recipe and stick to tried-and-true basics for the rest.
Routine
tasks are prime candidates for creating shortcuts. Investing a few hours now to
create streamlined systems will save you hours of unnecessary grunt work in the
future. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Register
for online banking. Take an hour or so to set up the system and enter your
vendors; bill paying can be done in five minutes in the future. Plus, no
stamps!
Speed
food shopping. Create a master shopping list organized according to the
grocery store’s precise layout. Make copies and keep one posted on the
fridge so that as you run out of items, you simply check off what you
need. When it’s time to go shopping, grab the list and go. (This works
with office supplies, too!)
Travel
easier. Keep a pre-stocked toiletry bag in your suitcase to speed up
packing for trips. Store checklists for different types of trips (e.g.,
two-day business, one-week beach vacation) in your suitcase so they are
easy to find when packing.
Get
thank-you notes out quicker. Try a three-sentence format for thank-you
notes such as: “It was so thoughtful/kind/generous of you to
_______________. I am enjoying looking at/wearing/listening to/remembering
the ________________. Thank you for thinking of me.”
What holds you back from
creating shortcuts? What tasks would you like to create streamlined systems
for? What are some ideas for shortcuts?
Love these ideas! I take forever thinking about what to write on thank you cards... While I'm at it, maybe I'll do this for Birthday cards too.
Other shortcuts I have my clients work on are:
-template emails for repeat questions they often receive
-checklists for tasks done repeatedly like invoicing, supply ordering & data entry
-create forms for when people need to get you information (so you don't have to always go back & ask for the info you need)
Like you said, anything that answers the question, is there a quicker way to get this done?
I'm going to put your thank you note format & pre-stocked toiletry bag to use right away. Thanks!
Kristin Swanson
kristin@ksbusinessconsulting.com
As a holistic health coach, when I work with clients who are learning portion control & monitoring caloric intake, I create a list of their favorite healthful recipes: what their portion size is & how many calories that portion has-then they can mix and match very quickly to create balanced meals without having to keep food diaries or constantly recalculate calories. Puts the focus on the nutritious, satisfying food and not on (let's ban this word) dieting!
Thanks for the speed food shopping tip Julie-I will pass that along. MJ McConnell www.mjmcconnell.com
