Summary:
What is efficiency? The importance of efficiency, tips to be efficient
“Being inefficient is not a compulsion, it is a conscious choice.” ― Sukant Ratnakar
There are days in our lives when we go to bed feeling that we haven’t done enough. This is a thought that can creep up on anyone’s mind at one time or the other. Numerous folks can’t meet the expectations they set for themselves. In other words, they feel like they are inefficient.
As students, we are all aware of someone who is always able to complete tasks. It might be a friend, or a family member, but somehow they can always get their work done and that too before the deadline. These are the kind of people who can finish an hour-long task in 20 minutes. For example, some mothers can handle 7 children while for a father, one child is way too much.
Such people exist who can crank out maximum efficiency. They efficiently finish what they have to do with time pending. Some may call such people robots or machines, for they believe a human cannot be so quick and efficient. Yet, some people are highly productive and all of them have something in common.
An efficient person is naturally highly productive. They face the same challenges and problems that everyone has and yet succeed. They haven’t reached a height that no one can reach. Therefore, in order to become a productive student, one must learn from how effectively highly productive people operate and get beyond everyday obstacles.
Being effective is a strong tool that can help students regain control of their lives and succeed. But it is not as easy as it sounds. This is not a little Band-Aid but rather a life-altering decision. It will demand a fair amount of sacrifice on your part.
Amazing Ways to Be Efficient
Nothing comes for free and if it does, it ain’t gonna last for long. Here are 5 practical ways to make yourself efficient as a student, at home, or in life.
1. Set Deadlines
It is important to keep in mind that the amount of time a student devotes to a work is highly linked with the time allotted to do it. In other words, if we don’t have a deadline, then we’ll take as long as we want to complete a task. However, introducing a deadline will compel us to get the task done by the time allotted for the pressure of missing the deadline and becoming inefficient is always around.
2. Complete the Whole via Smaller Tasks
It is daunting to start a new project. There is a lot to do and the deadline is hardly visible. This distance from the reward of having completed the task seems far away and can make it feel like it’s not worth starting itself. No matter how big or small the task, it can only be finished if you as a student are driven to do it. So, to get the motivation, break down the whole project into smaller achievable parts. Thus, each time you complete a smaller task, you will feel happy as well as motivated to do more. Gradually, you’ll get the entire project done, probably with time to spare.
3. Avoid Distraction
One of the chief enemies of productivity is distractions. Distractions should be avoided like the plague if students wish to be productive. In the present world, it is very easy to get distracted because the very model of communication that we use is fantastically designed for distractions. So to get yourself to focus on your work and success, say adios to social media. Use the Pomodoro technique which will assist you in fighting distraction and getting efficient. Meanwhile, as a student, you can create a distraction list and write down any thoughts that interrupt your concentration. Write down the distraction and get back to work. You can give time to those thoughts later, not now.
4. Take Breaks
Nobody, not even the most prolific people, can concentrate for eight hours straight when they are studying. There is only so much time you can keep away distractions. So taking breaks is vital. Students’ bodies and minds benefit from breaks, even if they are just brief. It can also plant new ideas. Again, Pomodoro technique will come in handy here. It is important that your brakes are deliberate and not some form of distraction.
5. Cut Down on Decisions
“You’ll see I wear only grey or blue suits. I’m trying to pare down my decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make,” said former US president Barack Obama while in office. Some decisions are important but decisions aren’t. So don’t waste time debating the pros and cons of something insignificant. For example, if you want to buy a book, go buy it. Don’t waste time debating over it.
