Contents
Abstract
The Pyramid of Efficiency reflects the principles of Maslow’s famous pyramid of needs. This is a system, according to the laws of which, before engaging in time management, it is necessary to put things in order at home and in the office, and only after that move on to the issues of goal setting and self-realization. The book has a non-standard approach, contains many fresh ideas, case studies and short summaries for each chapter. It will be of interest to everyone who would like to become more efficient in work and life.
CHAPTER 2. Where to start?
Why did you buy this book? If I were to ask you this now, how would you answer the question, why are you looking for ways to improve your efficiency?
«Can’t you deal with the mess around you?»
Are you drowning in a flood of incoming e-mails?
— Do you feel that you could do much more during the working day?
Do your professional and personal goals seem unattainable to you?
— Do you have dreams that you could realize if you took control of your life?
Do you need innovative methods to improve your already good skills?
Questions like these reveal a person’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas that need to be improved. Because I can’t ask you these questions in person, and the book is meant to be as helpful as possible, I’ve put together a scoring system for you to help you identify areas where you’ll benefit the most from increased efficiency. You will progress faster if you focus on these aspects first.
Efficiency Pyramid Evaluation System
Fill out the form given in Table. 2.1. As you read the book and put into practice the tips that you find useful, you can return to this chart to track your own progress in various areas. You will appreciate how much your investment in time spent reading this book paid off.
The scoring system is very simple: you need to answer 32 questions, choosing one of the three answer options that suits you best. Tick or hatch the appropriate circle, and then count the number of answers «1», «2» and «3» (do this for each block of questions). None of these answers are right or wrong. To make it easier for yourself, don’t think too much about them, note the first thing that comes to your mind. Fill out this form from the position of the present moment, do not think about who you were or who you want to become. Highlight the statements that best describe your course of action today.
Tab. 2.1. Efficiency Pyramid Evaluation System
LEVEL 1. ORGANIZATION OF PHYSICAL SPACE
Looking around you in the office, you see
1. Stacks of papers lying randomly on tables and on the floor
2. Several small stacks of papers on a table or work surfaces
3. Free workspace and surfaces
I use a special file cabinet for storing documents
1. No
2. Yes, this is a regular cabinet with shelves and / or folders
3. Yes, this is a system of different folders and their storage locations, optimal for my needs and my workspace
I use document organizing methods
1. No
2. Yes, alphabetically or chronologically or by category
3. Yes, the listed methods plus further systematization by additional parameters
I organize documents and keep them in a certain order
1. Very rare
2. When there is time for it
3. Often and constantly
I was considering using different document storage systems
1. Rarely
2. Sometimes
3. Yes, I know about different document storage systems
Count the number of answers «1», «2» and «3»
LEVEL 2. ORGANIZATION OF ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT
Electronic documentation
I have a well-thought-out folder system on my computer for working with electronic documents
1. No
2. To a certain extent
3. Fully
I use a reasonable number of folders on my computer to store electronic documentation
1. No
2. To a certain extent
3. Fully
I store electronic documentation in a specific order
1. Rarely
2. Sometimes
3. Almost always
I find the necessary documents
1. With great difficulty
2. Easy enough
3. Very simple
I make backups
1. No
2. Locally, to an external drive, memory card or copies on the computer itself
3. Both locally and I use a data backup server
Count the number of answers «1», «2» and «3»
I check my email
1. 24/7, all incoming messages as they arrive
2. Quite often when I want to take a break from work
3. Only at the time allotted for this
I have an email system
1. No, all messages stay in the inbox until it gets full
2. To a certain extent: I read and organize messages when I have free time
3. Yes, I have a way to quickly deal with incoming emails
I have a smart folder system to organize and store emails
1. I don’t use folders
2. To a certain extent: I add new folders as needed
3. Yes, it meets the needs of my business
I use automatic settings to organize my incoming messages
1. No, I prefer to check all emails personally.
2. To a certain extent: I have a separate folder for mailing lists
3. Yes, my inbox is automatically sorted into folders
I print my email
1. Yes, I read my emails in print.
2. Mostly letters containing information that I may need
3. Only sometimes when I really need a physical copy
I find the emails I need
1. With great difficulty
2. Easy enough
3. Very simple
Count the number of answers «1», «2» and «3»
LEVEL 3. TIME MANAGEMENT
The calendar
I write down information about my meetings
1. On stickers or pieces of paper
2. On several different calendars
3. Only one calendar
I remind myself of the upcoming meeting
1. With a sticker
2. Constantly checking your calendar throughout the day
3. With an automatic signal or an electronic «reminder»
I am familiar with electronic calendar features (recurring appointments, coding, shortcuts)
1. No
2. To a certain extent
3. Fully
I tested different kinds of calendars
1. No
2. To a certain extent
3. Fully
Task list
I make a to-do list for myself
1. Very rare
2. If there is time, usually immediately for a week
3. Every day at a designated time
I write a to-do list
1. On the first pieces of paper that came across
2. I make a list of current tasks, which I periodically update
3. In a calendar, indicating the time that may be required for each task
My work day goes according to plan
1. Very rare
2. To a certain extent
3. Almost always
I am interrupted from work by my employees, phone calls or messages
1. Often
2. From time to time
3. Rarely
During the working day, I communicate on social networks, make purchases online or get distracted by other similar activities.
1. Often
2. From time to time
3. Very rare
I break down all projects into specific tasks
1. Very rare
2. From time to time
3. Often
«1» «2»
Count the number of answers «1», «2» and «3»
LEVEL 4. RELATED PURPOSE AND ACTIONS
I set goals that I want to achieve in business
1. Very rare
2. From time to time
3. Often
I am rethinking my business goals
1. Very rare
2. Once or twice a year
3. Every month or more
I set goals for myself in other areas of my life
1. No, I do not set personal goals for myself.
2. I want to achieve some personal goals
3. Yes, I create a plan for myself that includes my life goals.
I break down goals into specific actions needed to achieve them.
1. Very rare
2. To a certain extent
3. Fully
I hold meetings with my employees, clients and others to align my business goals with immediate needs
1. Very rare
2. From time to time
3. Often
I communicate the goals of the company to my employees
1. Very rare
2. From time to time by emailing them or similar
3. Often, by phone, by e-mail, in person
Count the number of answers «1», «2» and «3»
Assessment results
By filling out the assessment forms in Table. 2.1, determine your final results using the table. 2.2, writing down the received number of answers «1», «2» and «3». Read the interpretation of the results to understand which areas are your strengths and in which areas you can improve your productivity. This will allow you to focus your efforts on getting the most out of this book.
Tab. 2.2. Efficiency Pyramid results
Write down the counted number of answers «1», «2», «3».
Level 1. Organization of the physical space
Level 2. Organization of electronic document management
Level 3. Time management
Level 4. Alignment with purpose and actions
Level 1. Organization of the physical space
If you have the most answers «1», you may find the chapter on how to deal with physical clutter helpful. What you do or don’t do to bring your document storage into a particular system probably doesn’t help you much. You may want to try new methods when you realize that there is no one right solution, but you can find what works best for you. I recommend that you read this part of the book first.
If you have the most answers «2», then a chapter on how to deal with physical clutter would also be helpful. You’ll see what changes you can make to your process to improve your productivity. Remember the Pyramid of Efficiency. This level may be optimal for starting the journey, unless you yourself want to start with another aspect that bothers you.
If you have the most answers «3», most likely, you have already achieved a flawless organization of the workspace in your office or very close to it. You may find a couple of useful tips for yourself if you skim through the chapter on the topic. However, you may well skip this part of the book and come back to it later, and now move on to another area in which you would benefit from increased productivity.
People who like to organize documents and put them in a certain order into folders are not often found (unless this activity serves as an excuse for them to put off another, more complex task). Even professional organizers who make a living from this, the process of organizing documents is rarely a pleasure. Personally, I don’t know a single person who would really like it, including me.
Most people are satisfied with the end result, when they can easily and quickly find the right document, everything is in order, and this generally has a positive effect on work efficiency. So do not judge yourself harshly if you understand that you need to start from this level: you are not alone in this!
In the chapter on physical space organization, you’ll learn that there are many different strategies that can make it easier to create a more productive work environment.
Level 2. Organization of electronic document management
If you have the most answers «1», the chapter on how to improve your digital information skills may help. What you do or don’t do doesn’t work. You should explore new, more efficient ways to manage your digital information. However, if the organization of the workspace is also problematic, it is still better to start with it.
If you have the most answers «2», you, too, will benefit from the chapter on how to improve your digital information skills. You will see what changes can be made to the process or what new ideas to use to increase productivity in this aspect. You may want to improve your skills in this area before moving on to more advanced time management skills or goal-to-action alignment.
If you have the most answers «3», most likely, you have already achieved flawless organization of work with electronic information or are very close to it. However, you may find additional ways to improve electronic document management by skimming through this chapter. You can always come back to this topic later if you want to move on to another area that is more important to you now.
It has been nearly two decades since e-mail entered our everyday life and became firmly rooted there, but even now no one teaches us strategies for working effectively with it. This also applies to its use in the workflow. No one tells us on our first day at a new job, “You should immediately create a system of the following subfolders and set yourself a time when you check incoming messages, but no more than four times a day.” Instead, we are on our own. Sometimes the way we start our first working day at a new computer and what habits we develop, subsequently bothers us a lot. Then, faced with an increase in the volume of electronic
mail and electronic document management, we try to somehow cope with this, but we still resort to the inefficient system that we are used to from the very beginning. Working with a system that is constantly growing in size is even more difficult if email is your primary means of communication. Often it seems to you that you cannot tear yourself away from it for a minute.
Karen works in the mortgage department of a large local bank. She constantly needs some information for business meetings, negotiations with clients and so on. Due to such a dynamic pace of work with her assistant Donna, she prefers to exchange electronic messages by mail, so Donna is actually «glued» to the computer monitor and, moreover, is forced to constantly check incoming messages. If her boss needs any information at any time, Donna must answer immediately: it’s her job. The email management chapter tells you how to learn to control your email so it doesn’t control you. You will also learn how to improve your electronic document management so that you can quickly and easily find all the documents you need.
Level 3. Time management
If you have the most answers «1», you may find the chapter on time management helpful. What you do or don’t do when you keep a business calendar and to-do list probably doesn’t help you much. If you need to properly organize your workspace and work with electronic information, I recommend that you first work on these areas.
If you have the most answers «2», the chapter on time management skills would also be helpful. You’ll see what changes you can make to your workflow to improve your productivity. Likewise, if you feel like you need to improve your workspace organization and work with electronic information, it is better to start with them.
If you have the most answers «3», most likely you manage your time quite efficiently, but probably
You will find a couple of interesting tips by reviewing this chapter. Perhaps you should start in another area where efficiency gains will pay off more.
Some people themselves immediately admit that they do not know how to manage their time. If the results of the assessment indicate that it is useful for you to learn more about the methods and principles of time management, or you think that you need to improve your skills in this area, then first of all you should understand that you cannot manage time. Time is what the clock shows us, no more and no less. We all have the same amount of time: 24 hours a day. We can only control our behavior in relation to time and what we choose to do with the time we have. Time management is the art of choice.
For some, time management is about delegation. For others — in task planning. And for others, it’s simply in the feeling that much more could be done during the working day. Time management is actually choice management. Of all the things you could do at this moment, what would you choose? Knowing that you are in control of these choices is time management. The bottom line is that every day you choose what you spend your time on. Given all the options on a given day, which one would you choose? The chapter on time management will help you understand how to manage your behavior and how to be more comfortable with how you use the time available to you.
Level 4. Alignment with purpose and actions
If you have the most answers «1», you might find the chapter on how to align your long-term goals with your day-to-day goals helpful. If you are clear about what you want to achieve in business and personal life, you will have an obvious incentive and increase the likelihood that you will achieve what you want.
If you have the most answers «2», this chapter will help you understand what changes you can make or what new ideas to look for in order to increase your productivity in this
aspect. You should probably hone your skills in this area before moving on to the more serious topic of opportunity.
If you have the most answers «3», most likely, you have reached the point where your daily activities are working towards a long-term goal, or very close to it. You may find additional ways to improve your skills in this area if you review this chapter. You can always return to this topic if you want to take a closer look at another level first. However, if you are at this stage and your assessment indicates that you are successfully managing all four previous levels: physical space organization, electronic document management, time management, and alignment of your goals and actions, then start from the very beginning and before Before moving on to the chapter on opportunities, read briefly about all four areas.
It’s hard to believe, but some business owners and executives don’t have a business plan. Their activity is reduced to solving the problems that arise before them every day. Most people who don’t set specific goals for themselves don’t take the time to think about how they envision their future. However, even if a person has a clear business plan with set goals, he may be focused solely on work and lose sight of other areas of his life. It happens that a person has goals, but he revises them so rarely that they remain only goals — an unattainable dream that does not get closer, no matter how much time passes.
If the results of your assessment indicate that you need to work harder to ensure that your daily activities are aligned with your main goal, then the corresponding chapter will help you learn how to achieve maximum efficiency and your long-term goals by breaking down the goal into its achievable components. tasks. Very often people can’t get off the ground because they haven’t taken the time to think about their goals, or they have goals but don’t know why.
parties to undertake their implementation, because they are too busy with the daily routine. They haven’t thought about how to present their big goal as small tasks that they can work on every day.
You can talk about time management and compliance with goals and activities in the context of managing your life. Time is life, your life. You are probably hoping that this book will help you achieve all your business goals. But if you want to get to the level of opportunity, you won’t be able to limit yourself to just work. You must consider all aspects of your life and performance.
Level 5. Opportunities
Most likely, you are wondering why there is no block of questions regarding the last level of the Pyramid of Efficiency. Everything is simple. Because this is not a specific point, hitting which you say to yourself: “Yes! I’m here! I did it! The Opportunity level, similar to Maslow’s pyramid of self-actualization, is the state where you constantly evaluate, re-evaluate, and change your goals as you continue to look for the most efficient use of your time. What can you do now that you haven’t tried before to increase your productivity? The chapter on opportunities will help you open new horizons. Before starting this chapter, you should be comfortable with all other aspects.
The first step in working with the Performance Pyramid is to determine the level at which you are best to start. Use the assessment form above or use a professional consultant to save time and increase your chances of success. Once you’ve figured out which level to start at, you can jump right into the chapter you need and focus on the skills you want to improve. On the other hand, if you read all the chapters in order, you may have fresh ideas and out-of-the-box thoughts. After all, as you already understood, there is no limit to perfection. New techniques and methods are constantly emerging. You never know what new skills you can pick up at each level.
Main conclusions
— An assessment based on the tables in this chapter, or a professional consultant to work with you on these questions, will help you figure out why you need to increase your productivity and where to start on this path.
— Once you have identified which aspects need improvement the most, you can start with those areas. In this case, you can always return to the previous levels.
— You must confidently pass all the previous levels before you reach the fifth level of the Pyramid of Efficiency — the opportunity, or the realization of your potential.