Maximum Efficiency

Good health is related to more than just your physical self. It's about having a healthy mind and being productive, both physically and mentally. Whether on the job, in the classroom, or at home with your family, these four efficiency enhancers can help you further improve your productivity:

• Just do it. Stop shuffling through the same materials and piles of paper on your desk. When you pick up a piece of paper, deal with it: act on it, pass it along to someone else, file it or pitch it.
• Prioritize. Determine which assignments need to be done right away and what tasks are required to complete them. Breaking down projects into specific tasks and then entering those tasks on a to-do list over a week's time can keep you from being overwhelmed by a large project.
• Work smarter, rather than harder. You've heard it before, and the saying holds true. Spend as much time coming up with new ways to do your tasks more efficiently as you do performing them. This is the way to avoid spending too much time on many low-value, time-consuming tasks.
• Batch routine tasks. Return phone calls and respond to memos and e-mail messages once or twice a day. If you perform a series of tasks in designated blocks of time, you'll save time in the end.