彭蒙惠英语:聪明工作之道(2/3)
Working Smart
聪明工作之道(2/3)
Working Smart
Forget multitasking and long hours—there are better ways to increase personal productivity
Increase focus
If you’re like me, you hardly ever procrastinate—except for really important work. The rubber bands get dutifully sorted by size, but that client proposal? Not so much. Another way to work smarter is by distinguishing busy from productive. Oh, we’re busy, and we feel productive, but we’re only productive if we’re producing the results that are most important to moving the company forward.
The same applies to any activity. The 80/20 rule says that 80 percent of your results come from just 20 percent of your efforts. Companies find most profits come from a few customers. And you’ll find most of your output comes from a few of your tasks. So what? Well, look at the math. If you double the time you spend on real output-producing activities and stop doing the others, you’ll double your output and spend 60 percent less time! If you started with a 10-hour workday, you’ll get twice as much done, working just four hours.
Say no
My favorite 80/20 principle is saying “no.” Most of us take on more than we can handle. Then our companies lay off 30 percent of the work force and expect the same output from the survivors. Our overwork gets compounded by poor high-level decision-making.
If you’re working at capacity, say “no” to that new client. If someone proposes a project that will fall in the 80-percent-work-for-20-percent-results category, just say “no.” Face facts, my friends: There’s a limit to how much you can do. You can manage that limit and do things well, or you can ignore the limit and do lousy job on everything. The choice is yours.
Vocabulary Focus
Procrastinate (v) delay or postpone action
Dutifully (adv) out of a sense of responsibility
Compound (v) to make a difficult situation worse
Capacity (n) the maximum production possible
Lousy (adj) very bad or ill
Discussion Question
Tell us something about your thinking of 80/20 rule.
Extra Exercise
1. Translate the following sentence into Chinese, ‘The rubber bands get dutifully sorted by size, but that client proposal? Not so much.’
2. According to the recording, what are the two things if you are organizing a meeting?
（责编：fanfan2008）
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