People who seem to have mastered the art of efficient living do things a bit differently. Whether they learned these techniques from someone else or just came by them naturally, it doesn’t matter. Our goal is to find out what these characteristics are and apply them to our own lives. Is this possible? Of course, it’s not only possible but is a worthwhile goal for anyone who strives for the fruits of efficient living.
Those fruits include things like knowing how and when to relax, leveraging the power of the internet, mastery of time management, doing the bulk of financial transactions online, planning life’s big events, outsourcing tasks you don’t do well, and knowing when to reach out for help when you’re stuck in a rut.
It’s important to realize that efficient people aren’t perfect; they just get a lot more things done in fewer hours. In fact, the concept of smart clock usage is behind all the habits of efficient people. Even if it’s not obvious at first glance, look closer at the following points and you’ll discover how time plays a key role in each of the habits. So, what can you do to make your life more efficient? Here are the not so secrets that these masters of efficiency know and that we can all learn from.
Learn How to Relax
Efficient people, contrary to stereotypes, are not necessarily hard-driven workaholics who spend every spare minute at the office. In most cases, it’s quite the opposite. That’s because they know how and when to relax. They take power naps and frequent, short breaks throughout the workday in order to stay fresh, get a ton of work done before the workday is done, and go home refreshed and ready to enjoy the evening.
Working adults who understand the key principles of efficiency often meditate, do relaxing yoga routines, take warm baths, get massages, and otherwise reward their bodies at the right minute and in the right way. Figuring out how to relax, rest, and de-stress is an essential piece of the puzzle for anyone who strives to get more done.
Use Online Ordering as Often as Possible
The internet is a blessing and a curse all in one. Everyone understands the curse side of the coin, but few have the ability to leverage the net for profit, fun, and a better life. If you know how to order goods and services quickly and securely, web-based shopping can mean saving several hours each week. For example, in Oklahoma and several other states, it’s possible to save hours of driving and waiting in line by ordering a medical marijuana (MMJ) card online.
In less than 20 minutes, you can fill out a short form and place an order for the card, which is then delivered directly to your home address. Websites like NuggMD make the process quick and convenient. Ordering anything this way can work to your advantage if it means less driving and fewer wasted minutes.
Plan and Manage Your Time Carefully
If, as real estate professionals like to remind everyone, the property value is about location, location, and location, then smart use of time is about planning, planning, and planning. Those who are paragons of getting stuff done in short order are planners. Namely, they take a few minutes each morning to chart out the way the day will unfold, hour by hour. Or, they simply make a weekly master plan on Saturday or Sunday and follow it from Monday through Friday. Hand in hand with planning is careful clock management.
In order to create an effective, workable plan, it’s necessary to allow enough minutes and hours for each of the week’s duties. It’s no surprise that just a half-hour of planning on a weekend afternoon can make the following week flow smoothly and make rushing a thing of the past.
Have Your Groceries Delivered
In the general scheme of life’s ups and downs, grocery shopping seems like a trivial thing, but it isn’t. Not only is it one of the few weekly tasks that everyone one earth takes part in, it’s also something that you can fully outsource. Most major retail grocery chains now offer home delivery, which means you can order everything online and avoid spending hours per month walking through crowded aisles hunting for items you purchase regularly. It’s just possible that grocery shopping is the single biggest waste of time and effort in the life of an average adult. Opt for home delivery and you’ll never regret it.
Pay Bills and Manage Finances Online
If you don’t do so already, get in the habit of paying all your bills online or setting up automatic bill pay through your bank. Then, put your monthly budget into a spreadsheet so you can track spending easily and maintain a record of all your key transactions. If you don’t know how to set up an interactive spreadsheet, ask someone or check out any of the hundreds of online video tutorials.
Plan Your Major Life Events
Another aspect of planning applies to long-term events, like purchasing your first home, buying your next car, deciding whether and when to have children, get married, hunt for a new job, move to another state or country, start your own business, and more. Wise people don’t just let things happen to them; they tack action and decide when life’s major turning points will occur.
Outsource Whenever Possible
If you hate preparing tax returns, cutting lawns, washing your car, shopping for clothing, or setting up your computer station, hire someone to do it for you. Outsourcing is the watchword of the 2024s, so get with the times and learn what you are good at and not good at. Don’t waste precious minutes and hours doing things that someone else can do for a reasonable fee.
Learn to Ask for Help
Mature adults know when to ask for assistance. Never let pride stand in your way if you are in a rut at your job or in a relationship. It’s too easy to do nothing and wallow in the dilemma for weeks and months. That’s not a wise use of your allotted days on this earth. Instead, search for help when you are stumped and move on.
