Doing More with Less | Excerpted from ‘Money, Meaning & Beyond’ Chapter 11: Gravy Pans
November 29, 2010 by Andrea J. Lee
Filed under Uncategorized
I’d like to ask you the question again if I may … even though it may be hard, take the question seriously for a moment.
How can you get 10 times the result with half the amount of effort?
It seems paradoxical, but the very act of asking an outlandish question like this can open us up to new possibilities. In this case, we begin to sense that somewhere, there may be a path that we haven’t discovered yet. One that allows us to get more of what we want, whether that be more time, results, meaning, money or something else entirely.
One thing we seem to know for sure is the path is very likely NOT a straight line. There’s NO logical progression from point A through point Z.
No, there’s a less linear way of looking at the issue of getting more done in less time.
The invitation here is this:
Reconsider how you can do more with what you’re already doing. And in doing so, recognize you’re getting a lot more done than you think. The thing is, getting more results with less effort doesn’t have to be hard.
Yes, it seems odd, but relax a moment and see what happens. Relaxed is the best state to be in if you’re going to try and transform an old way of thinking.
The thing is, getting more results with less effort doesn’t have to be hard. Here’s an example:
Let’s say you’re roasting a chicken; one of those wonderful activities that shines a light on things that matter: a great meal, conversation, laughter and family.
- While you’re roasting a chicken … what else can you think is happening inside the oven?
- If you said gravy’s getting made, you’re right. When you’re roasting a chicken, even though you’re not making any extra effort, you’re also making gravy by catching the drippings in a pan.
- But – this is true only if you recognize the value of the gravy. (Some people miss this, and throw out great gravy, right? That’s because they’re so single-mindedly focused on roasting chicken.)
With this example in mind, let’s try the invitation again.
What if you are already getting a lot more done than you think?
This isn’t just a fancy way of describing multi-tasking either. It’s actually a shift in the way you look at what can be considered productive activity in your business.
What are some ordinary activities you do in your business, that bring with them unexpected gravy?
How can you create more results with the same (or less) amount
of effort? And how can these benefit you in your life, business and health?
As a leading business owner in your field, you might realize the unexpected truth that you’re further than you think in finding ways to ‘make gravy’ in your business.
