Work Tool: Ten Times Faster (Theory)

Master of Faster.

I listened to a talk a few years ago that suggested trying to run work/school tasks 10-15 times faster. That's a wild idea. I've thought about it since and have worked on how to make that a real thing. Here is what I've got so far. Six steps to becoming more efficient.

1. List target tasks

Distinguish between things that can be done exponentially faster and those that can't
Terrible ideas: morning commute, pouring strong acids, etc.
Plausible ideas: checking emails, first draft of research paper, checkup meeting, etc.
Start with low hanging fruit by targeting simple tasks that you do noticeably poorly

2. Get a timer and time yourself

Ideally, get a physical timer that isn't just your phone
The first timing is the benchmark
From there, be intentional with timing your tasks
Only look at the timer when starting and stopping to reduce distraction

3. Jot down quick notes

How could you get faster and better?
What worked and what didn't?
Can you break down tasks or combine them?
What are the hardest parts? Do they need individual work?

4. Continue tracking and implementing

Pick tasks that you do frequently enough to get enough data points
Your track record should be easily accessible for easy recording
Don't be afraid of stretching outside your comfort zone

5. Make more notes and adjustments

If you're not getting at least 2x times faster over several iterations, rethink your approach
Do you need more or different tactics to run faster?
Or are you reaching the conceptual limit of speed?
Feel free to try off-the-walls solutions or shift to trying out other tasks

6. Reward your endeavor

When you've felt you've hit absolute limit, give yourself a star (or churro)
Remember, there is gold in the journey, even if the destination is impossible
Even if you only manage to role 2x faster, that's a huge win
Keep it up, and you'll become a master of efficiency, a lord of time
In a later post, I'll try these steps out

Comments

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