Reflections on “Doing More With Less”

Yesterday, I listened to a great segment on NPR that discussed the history of the phrase "Do More with Less". I used to shudder when I heard that phrase. What does "doing more with less" really mean? It typically evokes either groans or excitement. Does it imply burdens, budget cuts, layoffs, or rather…opportunity.

Being Productive

Does "doing more with less" make you more productive? I’d say yes, given the classic definition of productivity. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, defines productivity as “the rate at which goods or services are produced, especially output per unit of labor.” But in the information economy, it’s a little trickier to measure. We’re simply not producing widgets. Jonathon Spira, CEO and chief analyst at Basex, is just starting a series of blogs on the challenges in defining productivity for the knowledge age.

I suppose it’s important for academics and analysts to understand and measure productivity, but I’ve found the definitions of productivity to be too limiting. What about the cost of productivity? And the quality of the outputs?  

Yesterday, I touched on these questions a bit in a great podcast, "Going Beyond GTD (Getting Things Done)" which will be posted on the GTD Virtual Study Group blog shortly. (I’ll also be sharing my experience with GTD and Mindjet in a March 24 Mindjet webinar)

In the podcast, I explained how GTD has made me more productive. It has improved how I process and deliver work (and personal) projects. But, getting to the end zone and delivering a project isn’t enough…  

Being Efficient

Another interpretation of ‘doing more with less’ is to be efficient. Merriam-Webster defines efficient as being "productive without waste". But, who can honestly claim that they’re efficient? Look at our culture and the world at large, we’re pretty inefficient. We produce, probably too much at times, and we create a lot of waste along the way. I look at myself and ask, "Am I efficient at work, or life?" I am constantly producing, but at what cost to my limited resources – time, energy, and money.

And, is efficiency really enough…

Being Effective

The magic isn’t only about getting things done or doing more with less; it’s about getting things done well. It’s about producing the optimal, intended or desired result using the least amount of effort or resources. That’s where mind mapping and Mindjet helps us all shine. We’re creating visual reflections of our individual or team thinking. Externalizing and seeing our thoughts helps us understand ourselves in a deeper, more meaningful way. And, as a result, we take more powerful actions and make more effective changes in our businesses and lives. We’re building alignment across teams, increasing clarity, purpose and a true sense of ownership.

Mind mapping has been helping executives build better strategies, writers think more clearly, teams plan out realistic projects, analysts perform in-depth research, coaches provide great tools for their clients, and so much more.

Just take a look at what people are saying about Mindjet. Mind maps are definitely making an impact! Let’s share with each other to build out our mapping best practices, templates, and ideas. Our impact together is incredible and we’re changing the world, one map at a time.

So, yes, let’s ‘do more with less’ and get productive, efficient AND effective. Let’s add the quality back in our work, and, more importantly, our lives.

Join the conversation:

• What does ‘doing more with less’ mean to you?
• And, how are you becoming more productive, efficient or effective?

About the Author: Michael Deutch is Mindjet’s Chief Evangelist, content contributor for the Mindjet Blog and the Mindjet Connections newsletter. Get more from Michael on Twitter.