Save Time by Turning Off the AutoPilot
Yesterday, before leaving work, I checked the back doors to make sure they were locked.
Four times.
OCD? you ask.
No. After the first three times, I couldn’t remember if the doors were locked or not. I could have assumed that, had they been unlocked, I would certainly have locked them. But, as I could not remember, I couldn’t be sure that I hadn’t missed noticing they were unlocked.
They were locked, by the way.
I couldn’t remember whether or not the doors were locked because I wasn’t paying attention the first three times. I made sure to pay close attention the fourth time!
When you have a task that is easy and/or repetitive, you tend to put yourself in autopilot. Sure, I looked at the doors the first three times, but I was running on autopilot. I wasn’t focusing on whether the doors were locked, I was focusing on my last blog post!*
When we are faced with easy or repetitive tasks, we think we are being more efficient by multitasking. We neglect to focus on the task at hand, believing such myths as “I could do this in my sleep,” and instead focus on other things.
As you can tell by my four trips to check the locks, performing simple tasks on autopilot does not increase efficiency!
When you’re not focused on the task at hand, you may miss things. You may overlook things. You may even forget things.
It may provide an illusion of efficiency, but it will not provide true efficiency.
Imagine an inspector checking machine parts before they are installed in equipment. (Yes, a lot of that is computerized these days, but bear with me.) If he’s running on autopilot, he might check the parts faster, which may seem efficient. But, if a defective part slips his attention, eventually that will mean the equipment will have to be returned for repair or replacement. Not efficient!
Sometimes, he may run into a situation where he’s realized he cannot remember if he thoroughly checked the previous piece. He examined it, yes, but his mind was elsewhere. So, he goes back and checks, slowing the line down.
With concentration on the task at hand, you can better ensure you get the job done right the first time. You will also better remember that you did the job and not second-guess yourself, forcing a re-check of what you just did.
Efficiency comes from a willful concentration on the task you are currently performing.
Autopilot may make you feel more efficient, but the odds are it is hurting your efficiency more than you realize.
If you want to learn to increase your brain power, be sure to watch for the eBook I’m editing, How to Train Your Mind.
*True story.
[...] Dan at dcr Blogs has a great post called Save Time by Turning Off the AutoPilot [...]
I thought I commented on this post but I had to come back a few times to check. And you know what? I didn’t. So here’s my comment. Now I can sleep soundly.
My cell phone battery needs to be charged once a day. I wake up multiple times during the night to make sure it’s actually plugged in. My excuse, though, is that I’m asleep.
it can be a pain. I think we can all relate, everyone at some stage or other has checked things and rechecked things over and over again.
Guilty as described. I’m permanently tuned out and tuned in to something else. Right now I’m driving my car and steering with my knees….