Faster, Better,
Satisfied
If we were ever to add up the hours that we have spent in the course of our lives
at our desks, most of us would come to the same conclusion
that we have spent whole years of our lives there.
Since life has so many other attractive things to offer, it’s worth
maximum efficiency at the desk.
This makes it possible to get the maximum done at the desk in the shortest possible time, because we all know that careers rarely succeed only at the desk:
TO-DO LIST
There’s no getting around the good old to-do list, which should be updated at least daily. Prioritize unloved and difficult tasks far ahead in the time slot where you usually have your daily high. You can easily manage the pleasant topics even at a time when the ability to concentrate has decreased.
WEEKLY/MONTHLY/QUARTERLY/YEARLY CHECK
Busy, busy and still nothing done? This can easily happen. We have been too wasteful with our time, too generous in helping others and supporting their goals, or lost ourselves in the minutiae.
Against this, it helps to keep in mind the most important goals that you wanted to achieve at least once a week or month, but at the latest at the end of the quarter and definitely at the end of the year, and to ask yourself self-critically how far you have progressed with them.
Be ruthlessly honest in analyzing what has kept you from reaching your goals (faster) and resolve to radically reduce time-wasters.
ONE THING AT A TIME
Juggling lots of balls is essential for most of us. At your desk, however, you work most efficiently by focusing on and completing exactly one task. Constant interruptions, for example, from emails, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & Co. significantly reduce your concentration and extend the time you need for tasks many times over.
Make sure that on your desk are only the things that you need at the moment for the specific task. Everything else should disappear for a short time. You need a clear view to work efficiently.
FIT AT THE DESK FOR LONG HOURS
You can do this if you do something good for your body every now and then. Stretching, running, working standing up at times, climbing stairs, and fresh air in between are essential to staying efficient for many hours.
Place a well-shaped carafe of water and the most beautiful glass you can find on your desk. The sight is far more attractive than the labels on most water bottles and encourages you to combine the useful with the beautiful. Do you work at home in a home office? Then treat yourself to the ultimate luxury: a nourishing footbath under the desk.
