The
terms efficiency and effectiveness are two that quite
commonly overused- particularly together. Whether peppering the terms in a
school business paper when experiencing writer’s block, or spouting them off to
appear industry-savvy in a job interview, efficiency
and effectiveness have become two
empty nouns that actually carry a lot of weight when employed properly.
When
committing to an efficient and effective use of resources, you are utilizing
tools at your disposal to accomplish goals by means of optimized time, financial, and human capital.
We all have access to these three resources to varying degrees- it is simply a
matter of how to use them to their full potential. Beginning with time management, knowing how and when
to effectively use your productive time, as well as your downtime, to yield the
best results is an acquired skill. This beneficial skill is typically formed
over a long timeframe, spanning years or even decades in some cases, from being
subject to time constraints. Despite the environment, ranging from personal to
professional obligations, we are all at the mercy of the almighty clock since
we unfortunately do not have an infinite amount of time to do anything at all-
even live.
Therefore, we
adapt to time constraints by organizing our thoughts and actions in sequences
that become habit. Think about it: we all have our morning routines that have
taken effort in perfecting so that we can get to school or work on time. Even
creating a routine sequence of events as simple as getting out of bed,
showering, and eating breakfast, requires the same discipline that any other
more complex task deserves. When we commit to allocating a specific amount of
time to a variety of tasks, we are compartmentalizing and giving each
commitment a suitable amount of dedicated time, thereby maximizing productivity. For those of us who are
pathologically late- not to mention the group with which I identify: the
notoriously early- it might be hard to allocate realistic amounts of time to
certain tasks, but with some trial and error, it soon becomes evident that have
the ability to control our daily schedule.
Secondly,
finances are similar to time as a
resource being that it is limited and some of us have more disposable amounts
of it than others. Whether this particular resource is bountiful or scarce,
each dollar can be maximized and stretched as far as it needs to be. When
allocating hard earned dollars to your many needs and wants in life, best
practice is to create a budget. Even
if you’re not ready to stay within the repressive confines of a strict budget,
knowing how much you spend throughout a given month can give you the clarity
you need to not only save, but the peace of mind to spend. The best part of
creating a budget is giving yourself the freedom to include a line entitled:
“Spending Money.”
Every budget
should include this crucial expense line because we all have one- it’s just a
matter of first acknowledging that we deserve to have one, then allocating a
reasonable amount to use at will. When you give yourself the freedom to use a
discretionary fund to spend on entertainment and purely hedonistic goods and
services, you are being honest with yourself. The worst thing you can do with
your budget is leave out your Spending Money expense line with the intention of
saving every penny; this is unrealistic and will skew your bottom-line. Having
said that, it is important to be honest with yourself about all expenses and be
sure to include things you wouldn’t regularly think of including, such as
haircuts, Costco membership fees, regular trips to the liquor store, and even
annual expenses like dentist visits and vacations. Remember that this budget is
for your personal reference point only and will not be seen by anyone but
yourself (unless you so choose to share it), so omitting expenses you deem
embarrassing or unnecessary is futile. The only person that will suffer the
consequences of an inaccurate budget is the one who has to adhere to the
budget.
Finally, the
third and most valuable- not to mention indispensable- resource we all have is human
capital. People a great resource to share workloads, help out in times when
your other two main resources are depleted, and share advice on how they would
approach any given problem or goal. We are veritable problem solving machines
programmed to be resourceful and function at our greatest capacity given
optimal circumstances. Albeit, just like time and money, human
capital is much more available to some people. Even if you don’t have
anyone in your life that you can rely on for support, you are in fact your best
resource. Never underestimate the power of your own resourcefulness to
accomplish the most ambitious goals and to solve the greatest challenges.
By making the
most out of your time, money, and human power, you are
truly acting effectively and efficiently in your life. So, rather than use
these two loaded words as filler in a paper or conversation, recognize and
employ what you have at your disposal to maximize your potential and manage
your personal, as well as your professional lives. Undervaluing any of these
resources can and will leave you at an unnecessary disadvantage, so it’s worth
investing some energy in finding the best way you can use them to your
advantage.
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