Effectiveness vs Efficiency

I was recently reading Tim Ferris's The Four Hour Work Week, where he discusses the difference between being effective and being efficient. Effectiveness consists of doing the work and tasks that bring you closer to your goals. Efficiency is completing a given task as economically as possible.

As I read Ferris's words, I was immediately brought back to my first year at MIT. From my first few computer science classes, I learned very quickly the best way to prepare for exams was to spend a fraction of my time revising class material (understanding the content from lecture) and spend the majority of my time doing practice problems (specifically, problems I hadn't seen before or found challenging). The rationale was simple: practice problems from previous tests and exams gave the most realistic taste of what to expect on the actual exam and, therefore, were the most effective use of preparation time. What I chose to spend my preparation time doing was far more important than how much time I decided to prepare. Efficiency is only important after targeting the most effective activities.

Focus on Effectiveness.

I ask myself, "Am I working for the sake of working right now?"

Focusing on effectiveness though mandates regular reflection. It requires me to be patient and mindful enough to take a step back and honestly consider the tasks that bring me closer to my goals. Easier said than done. I love to feel productive, and often the easiest way to feel productive is by filling my schedule with "fluff" — indiscriminate activities that superficially seem relevant but really don't bring me closer to my goals. If I can focus on the few most effective tasks, I can free myself to do less overall work with even better results.

Smarter, not harder.