Do It Once...

There are things that we do repetitively and they waste our time. Sometimes we can streamline something and save time. The goal is to manage your time and make your time more productive.

For instance, if you have multiple email accounts and you spend too much time going to the different email services to check your email you are wasting time. It's inefficient. Get a program that will show you all your email in one place or filter by individual accounts. Or can you forward incoming emails to one central email account? I do this. I have 3 email accounts and I have two forward incoming email to my main email account.

Another automation that I do with my email: I set up some folders and after I check the email, I go ahead and drag it to the correct folder or delete it. I have my email account set up to daily permanently delete any emails in the Delete folder that are over 2 days old. I never have to worry about cleaning out the "Delete" folder.

Are there other things you can automate? If you can think of ways to stop duplicating and start automating, you can save time.

Here are some suggestions:

* Don't write a check, spend money on postage and walk to the mailbox to pay your bills. Your bank will have a bill paying feature online. Or you can use Quicken and pay your bills within your Quicken software. Using Quicken allows you to enter the transaction one time and it will not only schedule your bank to pay the bill but enter it into your checking account. You can even schedule bills to come out every month and you don't have to do anything (except work to make the money to PAY those bills, LOL!)

* Record your TV shows on DVR so you avoid commercials and you are watching only the shows you are interested in and not channel surfing.

* Maximize your car time. Pray. Take your mp3 player with you so you can listen to praise & worship music, or listen to a book (including the Bible) on mp3 or CD. You can be learning as you drive.

* Maximize your waiting time. If you know you are going to be waiting somewhere like a doctor's office or for little Suzy's dance class to be over, you can make that time productive. Take a book, write a letter, pull out your Bible, update your schedule, etc.

* Always put things back where they belong. Don't waste time looking for your pocketbook or car keys because you always put them in the same spot when you come in. Don't waste time looking for the scissors or the duct tape because you always put it back where it belongs. Have a place for everything and keep everything in it's place. People spend, on average, 6 minutes looking for their keys in the morning. Don't waste that time!

I hope I've given you some ideas. Time management is the key to efficiency. Getting more done in the same 24 hours. It means making choices, being open to new ideas, planning ahead, automating repetitive tasks, discipline. If an Efficiency Expert came into your life, how would they advise you? Are there things you can cut out of your life? Are there better ways of doing things? Can you learn new behaviors? Can you tighten up your daily activities?

Think about it and see what you come up with!

By the way, there is one task that is repetitive and it's driving me crazy! When I go to the grocery store I have to pick up the item from the shelf and put it in my cart (1). Then I have to pick up the item and place it on the checkout counter (2). Then I have to put the items in the cart to go out to the car (3). I have to place the bags in the car (4). Then I have to unload the items and take them to the kitchen (5) and then I have to unpack and put them up (6). I'm handlng these items 6 times and I keep thinking there has to be a better way. If you have a suggestion, please comment!