recycle content to accelerate production

I reused content from a product user guide to write four reports today. It would have taken me days or weeks to come up with the content and summaries without the user guide. I focused on the objective of the exercise which was to answer some customer questions with general information about the product. Because the expectations were set, there was no need to craft perfect answers. I gave the minimum necessary responses to address the questions. As a result I knocked out four polished reports with minor additions from my own knowledge. Those who have reviewed the reports have already been impressed.

prepared notes give powerful impression of more work done than actual

I filled in a spreadsheet right after it was given to me regarding what it would take to deliver on some customer requirements. During a later team call I gave my brief analysis based on the spreadsheet. I also asked several questions to give me the understanding I needed to fulfill my duties. After the call my boss and two other senior people reached out to tell me what a great job I did. The funny thing is I probably only spent 30 minutes preparing the spreadsheet for the call. Yet my results were clearly perceived as an outsized contribution to the team.

cement your learning by summarizing it

I needed to learn a responsibility at work. By sticking to the instructions and persisting through several software errors, I learned the proper steps of the process. During this process I took notes on how I understood each step. Writing down the steps as I understood them helped solidify the process in my mind and gave me greater comfort that I both understand and have learned it. The additional touch point of writing and summarizing can be enough to memorize a new process after the first exposure.

write it out to see it

When considering multiple variables, you can put them down on paper, spreadsheet, or whiteboard. You will intuitively begin organizing the information and identifying trends and relationships.

Document your work, identify assumptions

Document your work, particularly when making assumptions to get to a solution. Writing down your decision-making process is a powerful tool. You can leverage it for future decision-making, learning about yourself, or expanding your understanding of the issues.

notes make effective phone calls

Before a phone call prepare your key points to cover and place them in writing in front of you. If the conversation goes off the rails it will help you bring it back on track. If making calls near a computer (practically mandatory in today’s work environment) you can quickly type those in Word, Notepad, or any text editor. You will likely see an improvement in the quality and efficiency of those conversations.

take notes, engage brain

When sitting through a meeting or presentation, write down the key takeaway(s). Looking for this will engage your brain, helping you process and retain more of what you’re hearing. This works for students and professionals alike.