• Business

    Business Ideas

    ALL
    • In-Demand Businesses
    • Businesses That Never Fail
    • Best Passive Income Ideas for Increasing Cash Flow
    • Essential Tips To Start An Online Business
    • Best Websites To Buy Or Sell An Online Business For Free
    • Everything You Need to Know About Online Selling 
    • Current Business Trends: 9 Things to Keep in Mind
    • How to Open a Coffee Shop Business: A Comprehensive Guide
    • Effective Ways to Start your Business from Scratch 
    • The Main Types And Advantages Of Online Business
    Menu
    • In-Demand Businesses
    • Businesses That Never Fail
    • Best Passive Income Ideas for Increasing Cash Flow
    • Essential Tips To Start An Online Business
    • Best Websites To Buy Or Sell An Online Business For Free
    • Everything You Need to Know About Online Selling 
    • Current Business Trends: 9 Things to Keep in Mind
    • How to Open a Coffee Shop Business: A Comprehensive Guide
    • Effective Ways to Start your Business from Scratch 
    • The Main Types And Advantages Of Online Business

    Tips For A Successful Business

    ALL
    • Creative Business Proposal Ideas for Better Sales
    • Easy Digital Marketing Strategies for Small Business
    • Easy Steps to Develop Effective Time Management Skills
    • ClickUp, Trello or Hive?
    • Best SEO Tips for Small Businesses
    • Lessons Every Business Can Learn From Coworking Spaces
    • The Best Digital Marketing Strategies for a Real Estate Business
    • Useful Tips to Make Your E-Commerce Business Successful.
    • Why Do You Need to Track Your Spending
    Menu
    • Creative Business Proposal Ideas for Better Sales
    • Easy Digital Marketing Strategies for Small Business
    • Easy Steps to Develop Effective Time Management Skills
    • ClickUp, Trello or Hive?
    • Best SEO Tips for Small Businesses
    • Lessons Every Business Can Learn From Coworking Spaces
    • The Best Digital Marketing Strategies for a Real Estate Business
    • Useful Tips to Make Your E-Commerce Business Successful.
    • Why Do You Need to Track Your Spending
  • Money

    Invest Money

    ALL
    • Best Safe Investments
    • Investing In Real Estate
    • How To Invest: Are Your Investment Right Your Age
    • Best Alternative Investments
    • Best Investments To Beat Inflation
    • How To Invest In Collectibles
    Menu
    • Best Safe Investments
    • Investing In Real Estate
    • How To Invest: Are Your Investment Right Your Age
    • Best Alternative Investments
    • Best Investments To Beat Inflation
    • How To Invest In Collectibles

    Banking

    ALL
    • Best Savings Account
    • Best High Yield Savings Account
    • Best CD Rates
    • Best Money Market Accounts
    • Best Online Checking Account
    • Best Banking Apps
    Menu
    • Best Savings Account
    • Best High Yield Savings Account
    • Best CD Rates
    • Best Money Market Accounts
    • Best Online Checking Account
    • Best Banking Apps

    Loan

    ALL
    • Best Personal Loan
    • Best Low-Interest Personal Loans
    • Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit
    • Best Personal Loans for Excellent Credit
    • Best Debt Consolidation Loans
    • Best Student Loans
    Menu
    • Best Personal Loan
    • Best Low-Interest Personal Loans
    • Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit
    • Best Personal Loans for Excellent Credit
    • Best Debt Consolidation Loans
    • Best Student Loans

    Insurance

    ALL
    • Sproutt Life Insurance Reviews
    • eHealth Insurance Reviews
    • Cheap Car Insurance Reviews
    • Embrace Pet Insurance Reviews
    • Best Rideshare Insurance Reviews
    Menu
    • Sproutt Life Insurance Reviews
    • eHealth Insurance Reviews
    • Cheap Car Insurance Reviews
    • Embrace Pet Insurance Reviews
    • Best Rideshare Insurance Reviews
  • Forex

    Featured

    ALL
    • Best Forex Trading Courses
    • Best Forex Academy
    • Best Forex Trading Coaches
    • Best Forex Mentors
    Menu
    • Best Forex Trading Courses
    • Best Forex Academy
    • Best Forex Trading Coaches
    • Best Forex Mentors

    Learn To Trade Forex With Dumb Little Man

    ALL
    • Best Forex Brokers Review
    • Best Forex Trading Software
    • How To Trade Forex
    • How to Read Forex Charts
    • Best Forex Indicators
    • Best Forex Screeners
    • Best Time To Trade Forex
    • Best Forex Trading Tools
    • AvaTrade Review
    • CedarFX Review
    • Forex.com Review
    • Interactive Brokers Review
    Menu
    • Best Forex Brokers Review
    • Best Forex Trading Software
    • How To Trade Forex
    • How to Read Forex Charts
    • Best Forex Indicators
    • Best Forex Screeners
    • Best Time To Trade Forex
    • Best Forex Trading Tools
    • AvaTrade Review
    • CedarFX Review
    • Forex.com Review
    • Interactive Brokers Review
  • Stocks & Crypto

    Stocks

    ALL
    • Best Stock Brokers
    • Best Online Brokers for Stocks Under $100
    • Best Online Brokers for ETF Investing
    • Best Brokers for Mutual Funds
    • Best Online Brokers for Bonds
    • Best Blue Chip Stocks
    • Best Swing Trade Stocks
    • Stages of a Stock Market Bubble
    • Best Stock Investing and Trading Podcasts
    • Best Defensive Stocks to Invest
    Menu
    • Best Stock Brokers
    • Best Online Brokers for Stocks Under $100
    • Best Online Brokers for ETF Investing
    • Best Brokers for Mutual Funds
    • Best Online Brokers for Bonds
    • Best Blue Chip Stocks
    • Best Swing Trade Stocks
    • Stages of a Stock Market Bubble
    • Best Stock Investing and Trading Podcasts
    • Best Defensive Stocks to Invest

    Cryptocurrency

    ALL
    • Best Cryptocurrency Trading Courses
    • Best Cryptocurrency Brokers
    • Best Cryptocurrency Exchanges
    • Best Cryptocurrency Apps
    • Learn about Cryptocurrency
    • How To Earn Cryptocurrency
    • How to Trade Cryptocurrency
    • Best Cryptocurrencies
    • Best Crypto Trading Bots
    • Best Crypto Portfolio Trackers
    Menu
    • Best Cryptocurrency Trading Courses
    • Best Cryptocurrency Brokers
    • Best Cryptocurrency Exchanges
    • Best Cryptocurrency Apps
    • Learn about Cryptocurrency
    • How To Earn Cryptocurrency
    • How to Trade Cryptocurrency
    • Best Cryptocurrencies
    • Best Crypto Trading Bots
    • Best Crypto Portfolio Trackers
  • Health

    Health Conditions

    ALL
    • Macular Degeneration
    • Testosterone
    • Constipation
    • Hormonal Imbalance
    • Stomach Bloating
    • Sleeping Problems
    • Baldness
    • Lower Back Pain
    • Toenail Fungus
    • Mouth Sores
    • Eye Dark Circles
    • Stomach Bloating
    • Headaches
    • Face Acne
    Menu
    • Macular Degeneration
    • Testosterone
    • Constipation
    • Hormonal Imbalance
    • Stomach Bloating
    • Sleeping Problems
    • Baldness
    • Lower Back Pain
    • Toenail Fungus
    • Mouth Sores
    • Eye Dark Circles
    • Stomach Bloating
    • Headaches
    • Face Acne

    Product Reviews

    ALL
    • Diet & Weightloss
    • Exercise and Fitness
    • Beauty and Skin
    • Hair and Nails
    • Strength Training
    • Yoga
    • Dietary Supplements
    • Over-40 Supplements
    • Sexual Health
    • Dental Health
    • Men’s Health
    • Women’s Health
    • Sleep and Dreams
    • Best Weight loss Supplements
    • Best Fat Burner Supplements
    • Best Hair Growth Supplements
    • Best Vision Supplements
    • Best Memory Supplements
    • Best Natural Testosterone Supplements
    Menu
    • Diet & Weightloss
    • Exercise and Fitness
    • Beauty and Skin
    • Hair and Nails
    • Strength Training
    • Yoga
    • Dietary Supplements
    • Over-40 Supplements
    • Sexual Health
    • Dental Health
    • Men’s Health
    • Women’s Health
    • Sleep and Dreams
    • Best Weight loss Supplements
    • Best Fat Burner Supplements
    • Best Hair Growth Supplements
    • Best Vision Supplements
    • Best Memory Supplements
    • Best Natural Testosterone Supplements
  • Relationship

    Blogs and Tips

    ALL
    • Females in Relationship
    • Men in Relationship
    • Dating Tips
    • Finding yourself
    • Marriage Tips
    • Love
    Menu
    • Females in Relationship
    • Men in Relationship
    • Dating Tips
    • Finding yourself
    • Marriage Tips
    • Love

    Dating Guides

    ALL
    • Best Catholic Dating Sites and Apps
    • Best Christian Dating Sites
    • Best Pagan Dating Sites and Apps
    • Best Teen Dating Sites and Apps
    • Best Dating Apps for College Students
    • Asian Dating Guide
    • Japanese Dating Guide
    • Filipina Dating Guide
    • Indian Dating Guide
    • Black Dating Guide
    • Russian Dating Guide
    • Best Free Trucker Dating Sites and Apps
    • Best Dating Sites and Apps for Marriage
    • Best Free Crossdresser Dating Sites and Apps
    • Best German Dating Sites
    Menu
    • Best Catholic Dating Sites and Apps
    • Best Christian Dating Sites
    • Best Pagan Dating Sites and Apps
    • Best Teen Dating Sites and Apps
    • Best Dating Apps for College Students
    • Asian Dating Guide
    • Japanese Dating Guide
    • Filipina Dating Guide
    • Indian Dating Guide
    • Black Dating Guide
    • Russian Dating Guide
    • Best Free Trucker Dating Sites and Apps
    • Best Dating Sites and Apps for Marriage
    • Best Free Crossdresser Dating Sites and Apps
    • Best German Dating Sites
  • Trading School

Are You Effective Or Just Efficient?

Written and Published by Ali Luke on May 15, 2011 - Reviewed by Dumb Little Man

 Are You Effective Or Just Efficient?
Development Productivity
by Ali Luke May 15, 2011

A lot of popular time management or “life hacking” advice is aimed at making you ever more efficient. Perhaps you’re constantly reading lists of Firefox plugins, concerned that you might be missing out on some essential time-saving tool. Maybe you reorganize your email filing system each week so that everything is impeccably classified.

But have you ever stopped to ask yourself – Am I being effective, or just being efficient?

The first thing to clarify is the difference between being efficient and being effective.

Being efficient means processing things fast. You get through your to-do list quickly and, in any given task, you eliminate time-wasters.

Being effective means choosing to do the right things. You eliminate time-wasting activities or “busy work” from your day.

So you could rephrase the question Am I being effective, or just being efficient as the more dynamic Am I doing something that truly matters to me, or am I just being busy for the sake of it?

Another way to look at this is to think of effectiveness as the big picture. If you want to be truly effective, you need to think about what your values are and what you want to achieve in your life. This is hard work – and it’s the sort of work where you don’t get to show off an empty inbox or a neatly filed set of papers at the end of it. But it’s absolutely essential to do this big-picture thinking if you’re ever going to accomplish anything meaningful.

Your efficiency comes after this. Because, frankly, however efficient your system for organizing your MP3 collection, it’s unlikely to be particularly effective in contributing to your wider goals. You want to concentrate on being efficient at the tasks which really are significant. This might mean, for example, coming up with a system that saves you time and wasted energy when you take on a new project.

Increasing Your Effectiveness
So if being effective is more important than being efficient, how can you go about improving your effectiveness?

One way to start is to write down a list of all the commitments that you have in your life. Try dividing them into categories like your paid work, your relationships with family and friends, your community or church groups, and your education (if appropriate).

If you’re anything like most of us (including me) you might be surprised and even horrified to find out how much you’ve taken on. Do you really have the time and attention to carry out each of these commitments effectively? And which of these commitments is effective for you – do they add to your life, or just take up your time?

It’s never easy to say “no” to people, or to quit an activity that you’re currently engaged in. Sometimes, though, you’ll realize that to become more effective, you can’t simply keep ramping up your efficiency – you have to let something go.

Another great approach is to look at your values. What matters to you most in life? (You might want to list several things.) It could be your family, your health, your career, your church, your bank balance, your free time, your education, a particular cause or all sorts of other things. There are no “right” values – everyone’s will be slightly different.

One of my highest values is significance – I want to feel that the work I do matters in the world. Whenever I get caught up on trying to get ever more efficient at tasks that really don’t matter at all, I take a step back and think about where the significances lies.

(If you want some help clarifying your values, I strongly recommend the life coach Tim Brownson. He really helped me wrap my head around what matters to me – and it’s made my freelancing career go much more smoothly as a result.)

You can also look at people you admire. These don’t need to be celebrities or famous business people – you might look up to your parents, a teacher or mentor, or a colleague. Why are they worthy of your admiration? It’s probably not because they know every keystroke shortcut in existence – it’s because they live effective and meaningful lives.

How do you make sure that you’re effective, not just efficient? What tips do you have for focusing on the big picture, rather than getting bogged down in rushing through the day-to-day stuff?

Written on 4/27/2009 by Ali Hale. Ali is a professional writer and blogger, and a part-time postgraduate student of creative writing. If you need a hand with any sort of written project, drop her a line ([email protected]) or check out her website at Aliventures. Republished 5/15/2011. Photo Credit: Lhechmann

 

Like this Article? Subscribe to Our Feed!

Share This:

  • 0
    Facebook
  • 0
    Twitter
  • 0
    Linkedin
  • 0
    Email
Previous post
Next post

FOREX REVIEWS

Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home.
Follow us :
Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Become a Contributor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Menu
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Become a Contributor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Become a Contributor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Menu
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Become a Contributor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Become a Contributor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Menu
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Become a Contributor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Get daily tips and tricks from Dumblittleman!
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Success! You are now a Dumb Little Man! :)
Follow us :
Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter
Browse
  • Business
  • Money
  • Relationships
  • Health
  • Happiness
  • Languages
  • Lifehacks
About
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Become a Contributor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact