Task Efficiency: Find the Pattern Behind Your Interruptions
You can watch my video by clicking on the graphic below or read my thoughts beneath it:
In my concept of Mind Before Minutes, there are 4 different levels. Today we’re focusing on level 3, which is task efficiency. The goal is not to become a robot. Instead, the goal is, is there a way to be more efficient and still at the same quality, the same high-level performance?
And yes, there is a way. One way you can do this is by watching for patterns. Patterns that affect how you’re able to operate or not operate. A pattern that’s good is usually something that we celebrate, so we’re totally fine with it. A pattern might be at a certain time of the month there is a report that’s released, there’s usually good news, so there’s some kind of celebration and people just kind of knock off the afternoon.
That’s a fun pattern, so people don’t think anything of it. However, when we encounter negative patterns, because our brains tell us just get out of the situation as quickly as possible, we forget to pause and analyze the situation and think about, is there a way this could be prevented?
So think about all the different ways you get interrupted, either from self-interruptions, like your brain starts losing focus, or from external interruptions, that means from other people. Is it the same type of question that you’re being asked? Is it the same deluge of phone calls after certain policies are sent out?
And think about what are the different ways that you can get knocked off track and is there a pattern to it? The type of question, the department that’s asking or requesting, the person that’s asking or requesting. When you can narrow down your most costly, time-consuming patterns, then you know which ones to focus on to apply that preventive patch.
And if there’s absolutely no way you can prevent it, at least you know what to be aware of so that way you can mitigate it more quickly. So practice overall task efficiency by identifying patterns.
Want more ways to protect your focus time from interruptions? Check out The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer.
