Is there an easier way to do this?

How often are you asking yourself this question about all that you need to achieve on a daily / weekly basis – “Is there an easier way to do this?”.

If the answer is not very often, that needs to change.

Why?

For starters, this is the single best question you can ask yourself to improve your time management and productivity. Investigating easier ways to do the normal everyday tasks you set yourself will save you time and effort in the long-run, and in turn possibly reduce your stress.

It’s a well-known fact that the brain can only properly process a maximum of two tasks at a time without falling to inefficiency. So, using systems to creating simple processes that help you achieve your tasks, leads to a more efficient use of energy as well as huge savings in time.

Some great tools I use to plan projects, organise my time, and monitor my tasks include Simple Mind for mind mapping, Trello, and One Note. Also, you should consider syncing your devices, and working off a cloud. This way changes are updated everywhere and you can rest assured that you haven’t let anything slip.

Want another reason to start asking this question more?

It’s also the best questions you can ask when it comes to developing products and services (essentially solutions to their problems) for your clients.

Tesla saw a simpler, more robust way to deliver electricity, and won the Alternating Current vs Direct Current race against Edison. This question is possibly what Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp were asking themselves when they came up with the idea of Uber.

Your clients come to you because they want you to provide a solution for a problem they have. Your clients don’t want to be impressed, they want help.

The way to do this is to understand their current problem, review their current solution / situation, and then ask the questions:

• Is there a better way to do this?
• Is there a simpler way to do this?

The brainstorming sessions that follow this line of thinking will usually yield a solution that solves the problem they are facing. They will be impressed when the solution you offer makes the changes required look and feel easy.

Just in case you’re still not convinced about this…

A final reason to start to ask if there is an easier way to do things is when it comes to leading engaged teams.

Just like clients, your staff don’t want to be impressed, they want clear leadership. They want to understand the objective of a task, know the resources available to them to help them deliver, receive clear guidelines or instructions about what they may not do, and then autonomy to get on with it and get it done.

This question asked by a leader of your team will create an innovative, and thinking environment that is looking to solve problems and not just look like they’re delivering (effectiveness over busyness).

In a team environment, this question pushes for simplicity. It also allows the space required to think deeply and creatively.

I imagine it’s a question the great Steve Jobs asked his people a lot. When you look at Apple, the thing that hits you is the simplicity of design in all their products.

It’s such an easy system to adopt – so simple that my then 2 year olds could search for and find their favourite apps and watch their cartoons, without any help from me. It has completely revolutionised the personal computer and mobile industry, and made Apple great.

So, the next time you find yourself and or your team stuck on a problem, remember this post, and ask yourself – ‘Is there an easier way to do this?’.

If you found the advice given in this post useful, don’t keep it to yourself. Please share it. If you’d like to book a 15-minute chat with me or learn more about how I can help you grow your business, visit my website here www.augmentresults.com

Uzo x

Uzo Ijewere is a Business Strategy & Emotional Intelligence Coach. She runs Augment Business Coaching, and helps entrepreneurs align their vision with strategy, grow their businesses, and become more profitable. Her purpose is to help entrepreneurs and small business owners build thriving businesses, and corporates to adopt head and heart strategies in the workplace.