Double Up For An Efficient System

Having an efficient system means that your work will be as smooth as possible and your time can be used productively.

If you don't have an efficient system then you're going to encounter frustrations and waste loads of time. The truth is that many of our systems are a bit rubbish but we're often not even aware of this and we keep using them anyway. 

Doubling Up is an easy way that you can get a more efficient system.
 

Efficient System

Back in the pre Zoom days of in person training I used to pack for a few days away delivering training courses around the country. I would roam around the house rounding up my charger from the office and my toothbrush from the bathroom, and all the other things I might need.

After a while of doing these back and forth household searches I decided to make a checklist of what to pack. You know how much I like lists so this made sense right? I listed all things I needed to take with me when I stayed away.

Then I noticed that all I was actually doing was repeating the task of going around the house, just that now I had a little list to keep me company. My situation hadn't really improved.

So I set up a better, more efficient system and I made a travel bag. I filled the travel bag with duplicates of the items I needed to take with me.

I bought a second phone charger and a second toothbrush so I could just take the bag and go. This only saved a few minutes each time, but it all adds up and also it's less stress knowing that I've got a complete spare set of everything I need. And that's the tip: have a spare copy of whatever you'll need in more than one place.

It Takes Two Baby!

Embrace the concept of duplicates. If at work someone keeps nabbing your stapler buy them one for Christmas. It doesn't matter that they're in the wrong!

If you keep leaving your glasses in the office and then needing them to look at a laptop in a different room or read a book at home, then get yourself a second pair or third pair and leave them in the different places where you need them. Create duplicates to improve your system.

Having spare things is a great time saver. Duplicating things you need so that you don't have to forever be searching for the one single item can really help.

The thing you need always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time so why not make sure you've got them in all the places at once!