Four Key Business Efficiency Tips
Because our product makes companies more efficient, we like to talk about efficiency in general. And we’re not alone. Business efficiency is a popular topic, and there are thousands of blogs out there discussing detailed project management techniques or the latest software suites that all claim to help you achieve more in a working day.
But do we sometimes forget the basics?
The answer is yes, and efficiency tips don’t get much more basic than the 4 Ds. Allow me to remind you of a great technique that people often overlook but that can make a huge difference to their effectiveness during the working day.
The principle is that whenever you encounter a new task – whether someone asking you to do something or an idea you have had yourself- you immediately apply one of the 4 Ds to it. You either:
Do it.
If it’s quick or urgent, or you just happen to have time, you just get on with it and tick it off your list.
Diarise it.
You can’t do it now, but you should make sure you plan to do it in the future. When can you do it? Put it in your diary and commit to it.
Delegate it.
It may not be your job. More to the point, someone else may either be better placed to do it or prefer to do it.
Discard it.
Not every job is important, and not everything is worth your time and attention. If something comes up that is really not that important, don’t be afraid to say no.
So there it is—the simplest piece of advice you could possibly wish for, but one that, if you apply it properly, will make you much more efficient.
