Sometimes I do stupid things that waste time out of habit.
Most of the time I do that because it’s more convenient to keep doing things the way I know how instead of investing the time into figuring out the best way to do them.
Here’s a recent example. This is my normal workflow for creating a blog post.
- Write post in Evernote
- Copy post from Evernote into WordPress dashboard
- Edit and proofread post
- Create or search for image on sxc.hu
- Drag image into Photoshop, save for web at 600px wide
- Upload image from desktop
- Insert image into post
- Add link to post as photo url
- Preview post
- Get frustrated that formatting isn’t right
- Return to WordPress dashboard and view HTML of post
- Copy HTML text of post
- Open Text Edit word processor
- Hold Shift-Cmd-T to remove formatting to edit code in Text Edit
- Paste blog post text HTML that I copied into Text Edit
- Use find and replace to swap
with
- Use find and replace again to replace with one space
- Paste back into WordPress dashboard
- Review post again
- Add tags for post and select category
- Schedule post
You probably noticed that the bold steps above, #10 – #19 are completely unnecessary. That means practically half of my workflow is superfluous in creating a blog post (not to mention it annoys my socks off and I act surprised every time it doesn’t work, like it will be different this time).
I recently discovered Markdown (and I’m partying like it’s 2004) which allows you to easily format text that can be exported into HTML. I’ve been using a new, free, online writing service called Draft, which is amazing for reviewing document revisions, but it’s also great for just writing in a clean, online, auto-saving environment and exporting from Markdown to HTML.
So, what used to take 21 steps in my workflow, now takes 12. Here’s my new process:
1. Write post in Draft
2. Export Markdown post from Draft into HTML
3. Edit and proofread post
4. Create or search for image on sxc.hu
5. Drag image into Photoshop, save for web at 600px wide
6. Upload image from desktop
7. Insert image into post
8. Add link to post as photo url
9. Preview post
10. Rejoice that everything is perfectly formatted
11. Add tags for post and select category
12. Schedule post
Now, it’s time for you to evaluate your workflow and cut out steps that frustrates you and waste your time. Here’s what I did (with a hypothetical inner-dialogue below each step):
1. Choose something you do regularly in your work that seems to take longer than it should.
Getting through email is worse than cleaning port-o-potties to me. Maybe I can do that better so I don’t have to become a caveman.
2. Write out every step that you take to accomplish that task
Open email client, scan emails, reply to the fun ones, switch to Twitter, forget about emails, get distracted, remember important emails after someone texts you a reminder of a deadline, reopen email client, rinse and repeat.
3. Review your list and find the pain points
Oh, I switch to Twitter and only go through some emails instead of methodically processing my emails. I should probably stop doing that so I won’t get fired from my job.
4. Find new tools or processes to simplify your workflow.
I think the best way to do this is by turning to Uncle Google and searching how to do this better.
SHAMELESS PLUG: Subscribing to this blog is another way to find awesome ways to do things better.
Oh, this new app, Mailbox, allows me to do something with every email (like respond, archive or delay with a quick swipe). If I’m really far behind, I can check out Triage that is a super fast way to process a crap-ton of email.
5. Celebrate the victory of making things easier and your new victory over craziness.
Woop! I’m all efficient and effective now.