Why we Waste so much Time & Effort in the WorkplaceWritten by David Brewster
It is amazing how much wasted effort goes on in modern workplace. People at all levels regularly perform unnecessary tasks on paper, on computers and even manually. Why? Paradoxically it is because we all have a strong preference for doing things easy way, even if it is less efficient. We tend to follow ‘path of least resistance’.In nature, ‘path of least resistance’ explains why rivers wind their way across landscape, rather than take a straighter, shorter route. Water flowing down river simply follows easiest path available to it. The water doesn’t care that it is taking long way home. The ENERGY of river simply follows path of least resistance. The path of least resistance affects our behaviour in same way, but with a twist. Rather than minimise just expense of energy at any given moment, we tend to give preference to minimising our level of THOUGHT. So we accumulate piles of papers rather than continuously sorting, acting and filing. We under-use our software rather than pause to look up help file and learn a quicker way. We persist with out-dated forms or procedures rather than take stock of their current relevance. We keep doing things ourselves because its easier than training someone else and risking a mistake.
| | The Secret to Better DecisionsWritten by David Brewster
Ever noticed how little decisions can take just as long as big ones? How it can take just as much effort to decide what colour to paint your bedroom as it does to decide which model of car to buy?At first this doesn't make sense. Surely we should take a lot longer over a decision to spend $40,000 on a car than $40 on a tin of paint? But often we don't - and there is a simple reason why. ----------------- Let's explore these two examples. The hardest thing about deciding on a paint colour for any purpose is that we can't actually see result until we have made investment (in time and/or money) and finished job. Those of us with an untrained eye know only too well that, despite test-pots and computer simulations, initial perceptions can be very different from reality which strikes as last few roller strokes are made. Contrast car. This is easy to visualise. A test-drive puts us behind wheel of a brand new car. A car which is clean, shiny and devoid of crumbs and wrappers all over floor. A car without rattles. A car with that characteristic 'new car' smell. The perception created by advertising becomes reality, our emotions kick in and we just want to keep on driving. Before we know it we are signing papers! ----------------- The key difference between these two examples is not relative size of decisions, nor differing levels of emotional investment. The key difference is contrasting degrees of CLARITY about ultimate outcome at time decision is made. In case of car, test-drive experience provides almost surreal clarity well before we need to make a decision, hence 'easy' decision. In case of colour choice, clarity is not achieved until well after decision has been made: 'hard' decision.
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