The preface of this book introduces Donald burnham, a famous American management expert, and he gives three principles on how to simplify the work. He suggested asking yourself three questions before you do something:
(1) Can this matter be cancelled?
(2) Can this matter be combined with other things?
(3) Can you do it in a simpler way?
By asking these three questions, you can do the most important thing and solve the problem in the most effective way.
This book has nine chapters, namely:
It can be seen that many of these methods are well known. These methods can be used independently of each other; Can also be used in combination. Many of these nine methods belong to time management, such as pomodoro technique, four-quadrant work method, list work method, Moffat work method and daily work method.
1, golden pagoda principle
This method was invented by barbara minto, a consultant of McKinsey, who proposed to analyze and express (write) problems with structured thinking. The golden pyramid principle means that everything can be summed up in a central argument, which can be supported by three to seven arguments, and these first-level arguments can also be arguments themselves, supported by three to seven second-level arguments. So extended, like a pyramid.
For the supporting arguments of each layer of the pyramid, it is required that the arguments are independent and completely exhausted, that is, independent and not overlapping, but together they are completely exhausted and not missing.
2. pomodoro technique
The founder of this method is Francisco Cirillo. The core of this method is to do only one thing within a specified time period (a tomato clock, usually 25 minutes) without being interrupted by anything. If it is interrupted, the tomato clock will fail. This forms a rhythmic working mode, which can greatly improve work efficiency. Its specific practices are as follows:
1), at the beginning of each day, plan several tasks to be completed today, and write the tasks item by item in the list (or the list of software) according to the priority.
2) Set your tomato clock (timer, software, alarm clock, etc.). ) 25 minutes.
3) Start to finish the first task until the tomato bell rings or reminds you (25 minutes).
4) Stop working and put an X after the tasks in the list.
5), rest for 3~5 minutes, exercise, drink water, convenient, etc.
6) Start the next tomato clock and continue the task. Go on until you finish the task, and then cross it off the list.
7) After every four tomato minutes, rest for 15~25 minutes.
The most difficult thing to use tomato clock technology is to be disturbed or interrupted by other things in the process of a tomato clock. The treatment method is:
1) If it is necessary to do it immediately, stop the tomato clock and declare it invalid (even if it ends in 5 minutes), and then restart the same tomato clock when it is finished;
2) If you don't have to do it right away, you can add this item to the list and continue to complete the current tomato clock. When finished, you can continue to work on the items in the list according to the priority.
3. Four quadrant working method
This method is a time management method, which was put forward by the famous management scientist Steven Covey.
He divided his work into four quadrants according to importance and urgency: important and urgent, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, not important and not urgent. For things in different quadrants, different handling strategies should be adopted, as shown in the following figure:
This method can be used in combination with pomodoro technique, that is, prioritizing tasks. What needs special attention here is the "important but not urgent" thing in the second quadrant, which needs to be dealt with as soon as possible, otherwise it may become the "important and urgent" thing in the first quadrant, and this kind of thing needs to be avoided as much as possible.
4. List working method
This method is very simple, that is, at the beginning of each day, list the work that should be done every day and cross it off one by one after completion. Doing so will improve work efficiency by at least 30%.
It is best to combine this method with the four-quadrant work method, and use the four-quadrant work method to sort the to-do items.
5, give up the work method
This method thinks that abandoning useless thinking can reduce the workload by 90%. The so-called useless thinking refers to thinking that is not conducive to efficient decision-making, including thinking that deviates from the goal, aimless assumptions and fearful thinking. Five useless ideas that should be abandoned: (1) Focus on non-critical factors (2) Focus on results (3) Focus on abandoned options (4) Focus on perfection (5) Focus on the past.
The book also puts forward some specific suggestions, such as:
1) Apart from the computer, there are only three things left on the desk: a pen container, a water cup and post-it notes. Do not put dolls/dolls, etc. Instead, use a pot of green plants.
2) Clean the desk before coming off work and before going to work every day.
3) Reduce the number and time of meetings to ensure that the meetings are completed on time. If it is necessary to hold a meeting, only those who are absolutely necessary should attend the meeting, and others, regardless of their status, should not be called if it is not necessary.
4) Slimming your computer hard disk and cleaning up useless files regularly; Clean up useless applications on your mobile phone.
The method of leaving after work has also been used by many people to organize things and become a minimalist life concept.
6, Deming cycle work method
This method is called PDCA method, which was put forward by the famous quality management master Deming. In fact, PDCA is a way of thinking, and we need PDCA thinking to do everything. The specific content is when we face one thing.
1) The first step is planning.
Refers to analyzing the current situation, finding problems, and then making goals and plans.
2) the second step is to perform (Do)
That is, according to the plan made in the previous step, resolutely implement it.
3) Step 3, check.
That is, check the results of the action, compare the results of the action with the goals and plans, check whether there is deviation in the implementation, analyze and find out the reasons for the deviation.
4) Step 4, take action.
That is to correct mistakes and adjust the direction. Affirm the successful experience, promote and standardize it appropriately; Summarize the lessons of failure and put the unresolved problems into the next PDCA cycle.
PDCA cycle can make our thinking methods and working steps more orderly, systematic, visual and scientific. It has the following characteristics:
1) the big ring is nested with the small ring, and the small environmental protection big ring promotes each other and promotes the big cycle.
2)PDCA cycle is a stair climbing cycle, and the quality will be improved by one step every time it rotates.
3)PDCA cycle is a comprehensive cycle, and the four stages are relative and not completely separated.
7, chart working method
This method is familiar to everyone. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. When we write a report or document, it often takes a long time to explain it in words, which seems to be particularly laborious; But if you use one or two pictures to express it, it will be intuitive and clear, and people will see it at a glance. This is the charm of chart work method, which can improve the visualization of work, simplify complex problems, popularize professional problems, and thus harvest perfect work results.
8. Moffat's working methods
This method was put forward by James Moffat. Many of our jobs, after a long time, will feel tired and want to rest. Many times we rest by sleeping, but sometimes the more we sleep, the more tired we get. This is because a lot of work does not actually consume too much physical strength. Our physical strength is often full, and what needs to be supplemented is motivation and spirit. This requires an active way to rest. Moffat's working method means active rest without stopping to do nothing. By switching different thinking themes and work contents, the brain can be exposed to new things, maintain vitality and replenish the spirit.
9. Nissin Work Law
This method holds that today's work should be completed today, because there will be new work tomorrow; If you don't do it today, it will accumulate more and more tomorrow. For this reason, we should form the habit of "putting off today's work until tomorrow". Instead of putting off the work we can do today until tomorrow, we should clean up the work of the day at the end of each day and welcome the work of the next day with empty cups.
Most of these methods are familiar to us, but they are actually quite difficult to use. The core is to change old habits and ways of thinking and practice them deliberately. Each method in this book, if introduced in detail, can become an independent book. In fact, many methods have many independent books, such as the Golden Pagoda Principle and pomodoro technique. The advantage of this book is that these methods are concentrated in one book, and the core contents of these methods are introduced, which is very specific and practical.