Use the DRY Principle to Get More Done
You need to use the DRY principle to be more productive. This doesn’t mean your work is too wet; it’s too repetitive. DRY stands for Don’t Repeat Yourself and is actually a great time management technique if you learn it. Here’s what you need to know.
What is DRY?
This principle comes from the world of software development, where developers use it to reduce redundancy in their patterns and codes. I’m no programming expert and won’t pretend to be, but it makes sense that you don’t want unnecessary repetition. From the inner workings of your technology to your daily schedule, everything needs to be streamlined and efficient.
DRY was first popularized in the book The Pragmatic Programmer , which states : “Every piece of knowledge should have a single, unambiguous, and authoritative representation in the system.” Don’t focus on the “knowledge” part, there are implications for your daily life. For example, instead of the word “knowledge,” insert the word “task” or “project.” Each of them must “have a single, unambiguous and authoritative representation within the system.” Think about it this way: you are busy every day, but are you productive every day? If the answer is no, it may be because you are too monotonous in your work.
How can you DRY your work?
So you want to adapt the software-centric principle of DRY for your own use. It’s easy enough. You’ll spend a few days doing your normal tasks at first, but write down everything you do. Be specific. For example, don’t write down that you “answered emails between 10 and 10:30.” Write down how many emails you responded to, and take note of the emails that were essentially the same emails rephrased over and over again. Record phone calls, meetings, and tasks you take on to complete a project, whether it’s work or cleaning the house.
Next, sort everything into categories: unavoidable tasks that you hate but still have to do the same as before; time-consuming tasks that drain your day; and work that is repeated. Anything that falls into this third category should be automated or optimized before moving on to the labor-intensive ones, which may also qualify for some automation.
If you find yourself constantly typing the same message into emails, try using templates . If you have one-on-one meetings with colleagues that are causing you to repeat yourself, suggest combining them into one meeting. If you constantly clean the same part of the house, learn specific cleaning techniques that will help you get the job done more efficiently.
It will take you at least a week of journaling your daily activities—and possibly longer—before you become aware of repetitive and time-consuming tasks, but seeing them all on a list will make it a lot easier and set you on the path to DRY.