Can One Touch Solve Your Problems?
- Advoco
- Aug 21, 2020
- 2 min read
Throughout your years in school, you may have learned about King Midas from Greek mythology. Everything he touched turned to gold and he thought he had solved all of his problems. Spoiler alert: try eating or hugging a loved one without touching them. Turns out, he hadn’t solved anything.
Well, I have good news for you! The one touch that will solve your problems is not the Midas touch.
The “one touch rule” written about by author John Salkowski describes an approach to efficiency that you can apply to all aspects of your life. I am definitely guilty of not following this rule all the time, but when I do, I find I have more time to get things done.
The problem is that we often have a list of tasks from work, a honey-do list at home, and things that our children need help with. These lists become overwhelming to complete.
So, what is the natural inclination? We find something on the list and do as much as we can right now. Or start working on something and get distracted and then leave it unfinished.
The downside of this strategy is that you are starting and stopping and leaving things half done. That means when you get around to it the next time, you must reengage your brain, figure out where you left off, and determine what to do next. In my experience, if I stop doing something because the next step is hard, I may skip that item several times before actually going back to it. This leaves me frustrated every time I see the unfinished work, but not willing to spend the time to finish it.
Instead, try following the one touch rule. This means that when you take the time to work on something, see it through to the end. Do not leave half-finished tasks laying around. They create clutter, frustration, and sap precious time from your day.
To follow the one touch rule, first, identify the problem. Second, determine how much time it will take to complete. Finally, when you start something, finish it. Prioritization of tasks can help you identify what is most important. You will find that waiting to engage in a project until you have enough time to complete it will force you to prioritize your work better.
My challenge to you is to give this a shot. The next time you see something that needs to be completed, pick it up and complete it right then and there. Then move on to the next task. Everything you touch might not turn to gold, but it will turn to completed tasks!
Until next time…we are Advoco, make every minute count.
About Colin: Colin Whitney is a Solutions Architect with Advoco and looks forward to helping others achieve their EAM goals. He is a graduate of both the University of Iowa and the University of Georgia. When he is not working he enjoys getting outside and watching college football. Questions? Send Colin an email!
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