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You need to use the DRY principle to be more productive. This isn’t to say your work is too wet; it’s too repetitive. DRY stands for “don’t repeat yourself” and it’s actually a great time management technique once you get it down. Here’s what you need to know.
What is DRY all about?
This principle comes from the world of software development, where developers use it to reduce redundancy in their patterns and codes. I’m not a coding expert and won’t pretend to be, but it does make sense that you don’t want needless repetition in there. From the inner workings of your tech to your daily schedule, everything should be streamlined and efficient.
DRY was first popularized in The Pragmatic Programmer, a book that states, “Every piece of knowledge must have a single, unambiguous, authoritative representation within a system.” Don’t focus on the “knowledge” part, but there are takeaways there for your daily life. Insert the word “task” or “project” instead of “knowledge,” for instance. Each one should “have a single, unambiguous, authoritative representation within a system.” Think of it like this: You’re busy every day, but are you productive every day? If the answer is no, it might be because you’re being too repetitive with your work.
How can you DRY your work?
So, you want to adapt the software-centric DRY principle for your own use. It’s easy enough. First, you’ll spend a few days doing your normal tasks—but write down everything you do. Be specific. For instance, don’t write down that you “answered emails from 10 to 10:30.” Write down how many emails you answered and take note of any that were basically the same thing reworded over and over. Write down phone calls, meetings, and tasks you undertake to complete a project, whether it’s one for work or cleaning your house.
From there, sort everything into categories: Unavoidable tasks you hate but have to do just as you already are; time-consuming tasks that bog up your day; and work that repeats itself. Everything in that third category should then be automated or streamlined before looking into the time-consuming ones, which may also qualify for some automation.
If you’re always typing the same message into emails, try using templates. If you have one-on-one meetings with colleagues that make you repeat yourself, suggest combining them into one meeting. If you’re always cleaning the same part of your home, look into specific cleaning methods that might help you get the whole job done more efficiently.
It will take at least a week of journaling your daily activities—and likely longer—for you to recognize your repetition and time-sucking tasks, but seeing them all listed out will make this much easier and get you on a path to DRYness.
from LifeHacker https://ift.tt/V4NuI7r
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