Accomplishing more in less time

On some days we manage to accomplish more in less time. When we are under pressure from all sides we accomplish more but on other days we accomplish almost next to nothing.  Why is it that on some days we can do so much while on other days we seem to do practically nothing though we were busy the whole day?

Let us check out an example. Try putting a few small rocks into the pail. The most you can put into the pail would be three or four and even these would stick out into the air. The pail seems full. It is full of rocks. But does that mean that it is really full. Now get some pebbles probably the size of table tennis balls and see whether there is room for a couple of the in the pail. Is the pail full now? Yes it is full of rocks and pebbles. Now put some glass marbles or beads. Slide them into the pail. If you think that the pail is full now, think again. Get some sand and pour it into the pail. You will be amazed at the speed with which it trickles in. And we are not done yet. Try pouring a glass of water into it and you will find the water disappearing into the depths of the pail. If you want, you can keep pouring water till the pail brims over.

The purpose of this experiment was to show you that what you thought to be full could in fact accommodate much more, but of a different kind of course.

This is exactly what happens to most of us on most of our days. We take on big tasks. That's well and good. But we get so occupied with these Herculean tasks, which may take more than a day to get over with anyway, that we tend to forget those smaller tasks which may be just as important. This is where we can understand the importance of prioritizing. The big things are important, but the small things may be just as important.

While you are trying to handle those rocks, do not forget those pebbles, marbles, and grains of sand and drops of water. Things like saying good morning and greeting others generally are very important if you are working in an organization. Compare to the water. Just because you have had a busy day, it doesn't mean that you have to be a grouch.

Telephone calls (remember to be brief) are like the sand. And if you do not answer your telephone calls people will start thinking you do not work there anymore. Responding to emails and dispatching bills and payments can be compared to the marbles. Meetings and discussions are the pebbles and major projects and things like audits and presentations are the rocks.

 There should be time for everything and everything should have it's time.

Don't aim for perfection in everything. You waste a lot of time. As long as it is presentable you don't have to lose sweat about a project that you have done. But that does not mean that your work should be shabby. Make it as presentable as is possible within the time frame allotted.

And in order to accomplish more within lesser time it's about time we took a look at those time savers.