When we plan to accomplish something, we want to do it in the best way. “Work smarter, not harder” is the approach to go by, supposedly.
But sometimes.. the smarter way just isn’t fun. For example, I enjoy reading books about personal development. I also am impressed with many speed reading processes, specifically photoreading. With lots of practice (which I haven’t done) they start to feel second-nature, but as of now, it often seems like an annoyance. By sticking to “I want to work smarter” and do things effeciently, I just “killed” the joy of reading – and by trying to be more efficient, I started avoiding it!
So yes, it may be slower… but can you plan a way that’s more enjoyable?
Instead of asking “how can I do this in the smartest, most effecient way?” ask “how can I do this so that I enjoy and it raises my vibe?”
What have you been putting off because you felt you should do it a certain way, even though you would love to do it in your own way? Here’s your permission to pursue it in your own way! If you have specific examples, please share!
p.s. for a longer post on this topic, check out Steve Pavlina’s excellent post on this subject.
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4 Responses to “Is Efficiency Holding You Back?”
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Interesting question – if I truly am living my life in the moment, and always doing what feels good – why would I want to rush anything? When I write I'm in the vortex and time has no meaning. Then I need to allow a certain amount of time to pass for things to 'percolate'. And editing takes as long as it takes (sometimes a LONG time with a particularly knotty narrative problem!!) Efficiency doesn't necessarily serve the storytelling process.
Then again, one of my most satisfying projects was designing an excel template with macros, to turn a hideously boring 1-hour data entry process into an easy two-click 5-minute job! If efficiency means I have more time to do the things I love, then it definitely has its place. It's all a question of context
I suppose it's about the perspective switch – the point of live IS now – not when I finish this project, so yes I can do the project – in a way that feels good!
Great post, Avi! Sometimes being efficient and doing things as fast as possible can be a terror, meant to make us into rational machines. Which we aren't… Some of my most valuable time is the "useless", inefficient time in which I catch up with myself by doing nothing, or small, apparently "useless" things, or just hanging out with myself. All that rationalism just gives me loads of stress, so I tend to be easy with myself and allow things to take as long as they need to take to be pleasant.
"… meant to make us into rational machines. Which we aren't" Love that!