Focus on Automation

By Debbie Mayo-Smith | March 11, 2008

BNET Australia Contributors

Aussie Rules

Biography

BNET Australia Contributors

BNET Australia Contributors
Phil Dobbie has a wealth of radio and business experience. In his BTalk Australia podcast, he provides a lively and insightful view on business issues.
Brian Haverty is editorial director for CBS Interactive Australia and is responsible for the company's BNET and ZDNet Australia sites.
Robert Gerrish is a coach, author and professional speaker and the founder of Flying Solo, an Australian online community for solo business owners.
Melissa Lourenco is the HR manager for CBS Interactive in Australia.
Chris Golis is the author of The Humm Handbook: Lifting Your Level of Emotional Intelligence. He runs seminars and workshops on EQ.
Suzi Dafnis is Community Director of the Australian Businesswomen's Network.
Yvonne Adele helps organisations build a culture of ideas by teaching people at all levels to access their untapped creative thinking skills.

Where focus starts freeing up time normally spent doing other things, software knowledge brings you massive productivity gains. It’s like magically pulling hours out of a hat.

For example, take the time to get to know your MS Office software, no matter how busy you are. You’ll learn functions that allow you to eliminate many repetitive tasks — many people literally spend days splitting names apart manually in Excel spreadsheets, when there’s a function that does it instantly.

First Focus. Make sure that you are doing the right activities for each of the roles you have in life. List and rate them all on how profitable or pleasurable they are for you. Find a way to eliminate the time wasters.

Then automate. Put your computer and software to work for you. If you do any work from home — get wireless and a laptop. You won’t have to be chained to the computer with your back to the family. You can sit on the sofa at night with them (and still get work done).

More from “Aussie Rules”

Talkback 1 Talkback

Great article
The only way to really get things done at work is to automate as much as possible. Setting up an automated business process takes a lot of stress and keeps you free to do the real work that needs to get done, not all of the admin tasks.
ZDNet Gravatar
kokasexton
03/11/2008 03:07 PM

Talkback - Tell us what you think