A lot of people try to get efficient by moving faster.
But if you’re moving fast in the wrong direction, you’re not efficient — you’re just tired.
Efficiency starts before you take action. It starts with clarity.
“Busy” is not the goal
You can spend hours doing things that feel productive:
- reorganizing your files
- rewriting the same caption three different ways
- checking your inbox a hundred times
- tweaking a doc that didn’t need tweaking
And at the end of the day, you’re still behind.
So instead of asking, “How do I do more?” ask:
“What’s the cleanest path to the result I actually want?”
The Map-it-out-first method (simple, not complicated)
Before you jump in, take 3–10 minutes and map it out.
- Define the outcome.
What does “done” look like? - List the steps.
Just a rough sequence. Don’t overthink it. - Find the bottleneck.
What part usually slows you down? - Remove friction.
Can you simplify, batch, template, automate, or delegate?
This is how you stop wasting energy on work that doesn’t move the needle.
Quick examples
Content:
- Outcome: 1 LinkedIn post that drives DMs.
- Steps: choose message → hook → 3 teaching points → CTA.
- Bottleneck: starting from scratch.
- Remove friction: keep a hook bank + reuse a structure.
Admin:
- Outcome: invoices sent in 30 minutes.
- Bottleneck: hunting for info.
- Remove friction: checklist + saved email template.
Client work:
- Outcome: deliverable done by Friday.
- Bottleneck: context switching.
- Remove friction: block two deep-work sessions and keep comms in one window.
Mini checklist (save this)
- What’s the outcome?
- What are the steps?
- What’s the bottleneck?
- What can I remove/simplify/template?
