Less = More Productivity

It’s easy to fall into the mindset of more equals better. After all, it feels great knowing you’ve been busy answering all your emails first thing in the morning… until you realise you’ve lost half your day. During my career as a software developer, I’ve worked with some pretty verbose codebases. Code that works fine but soon becomes a nightmare to update as you’re wading through tonnes of redundant logic (which only gets worse over time). It may sound strange, but that’s why I love “lazy” developers; they despise programming hundreds of lines because they write efficient code instead. That’s why I embrace minimalism; to get things done properly and make the best use of my time. So, here are a few of the ways you can get more out of less:

Streamline systems

We’re living in a world that continually demands our attention. Whether or you’re working on your business or managing your social life, we use dozens of apps, services and tech to get the best use out of our time. But is that really the case? Do you find you spend a considerable amount of time selecting, procuring, testing or managing your:

• Accounts
• CRM
• Email client
• Social media
• Management information
• Messaging services
• Reminders
• To-do lists

If you’re spending more time juggling than benefitting, consider using a tool that integrates and centralises these services, and remove the redundant systems out of your life. Remember – they are here to help us, not hinder us.

Reduce decision

When a restaurant rethinks their strategy, often the first thing they do is cut items from their menu. Why? In short, people don’t want to be overwhelmed by choice, and it enables the business to focus on their best qualities, not sheer quantity (jack of all trades… master of none). In our recent article on why tabs are killing your productivity, we discussed how untidy screens negatively impacted on the performance of doctors in hospitals. Ultimately, when faced with too much choice, it creates stress. So whittle down that to-do list, close those tabs and boost your focus!

Use your time wisely

I’ve been lucky enough to experience various roles throughout my career. However, the most significant educational experience for me was learning I can’t do everything. Working 60 hour weeks doesn’t work, there are only so many hours in the day; assess your role and the task at hand, is this worth your time? Are you the best person for the job, or could it be delegated? If you’re struggling to fit everything in, consider taking “do not disturb” time during the day. Do your tasks in spurts, if you’re checking your email, be strict and dedicate 15 minutes in the morning to managing and processing your emails – after that, leave it and deal with it later, it can wait! If you schedule your time to specific tasks and stick to it, it means you can concentrate on the task at hand and avoid the distractions. We help thriving businesses, swamped by growing demand, automate and organise, to focus on what matters.