That bandied buzzword: Efficiency

(Some of this content was taken from Boost your efficiency with Crabby's suggestions, a Crabby Office Lady column on Office Online.)

Efficient.

Frankly, that words gives me the creeps. It conjures up squeaky clean images of men and women in suits (and pantsuits) buzzing about like so many bees at the start of spring. Humming, droning, completing task after task with thought of nothing else but the matter at hand…

But let’s be fair: The word itself has many meanings, all of them subtly connected. It can indicate effectiveness, power, proficiency, and even shrewdness — as in being calculating. So it has many connotations. Maybe I should just let it flow through me, and let the gods and goddesses of economy and performance guide the way.

(Or, better yet, perhaps we need some tools to help us achieve that perfect sense of efficient-osity.…)

You have two hands, two eyes, two ears, one brain … and 17 things that must get done before the end of the day. Various little tricks I’ve come up with using Office helps me manage all my tasks by making the most of my time and using the tools that I have access to. I have yet to achieve perfection through efficiency, but I'm darned close.

Dying to know? Read the Crabby Office Lady’s full column to get real tips about:

• Making use of the Outlook To-Do bar
• Letting a template be your guide (or starting point, anyway)
• Recycling with building blocks in Word
• Putting the things you use most in easy reach with the Quick Access Toolbar

_________________________________________________

“Do not be awestruck by other people and try to copy them. Nobody can be you as efficiently as you can." — Norman Vincent Peale

-- Crabby