Take Advantage of Help Others Offer

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The other day, I was trying to make my way fairly quickly through an airport when I came up behind a gentleman just getting on the escalator. Normally, I walk up and down escalators. I don’t just stand there. It doesn’t make any sense to me.

• He just stood there. I can understand why someone would stand. . . if they’re, say, injured, old, carrying luggage, etc, but I am fairly certain that the inventors of the escalator would roll over in their graves if they knew that otherwise healthy people were using their invention, which is supposed to facilitate your speedy movement, to actually just take a rest and be lazy.

• When you were in school and the teacher said that you couldn’t use a calculator on a math test, did you ever protest and say that you would be able to use one in the real world so why not now? Probably. So, when you’re out in the real world, at work, at home, shopping, or anywhere else and someone has already laid groundwork that can facilitate your progress, whether it’s moving faster, getting work done more efficiently, or as simple as removing distractions, don’t be satisfied to just use it. Combine their work, their product, with your own efforts and reap a double benefit.

• If you walk up an escalator, you’ll get to the top twice as fast as if you took the stairs or just stood on the escalator. Plus, it takes no more effort than using the stairs. Does that seem reasonable? Why wouldn’t you apply that to other parts of your life?

• Use your VCR, TiVo, or DVR to record shows, save time, and skip commercials. Turn on your junk email filter so that you don’t have to sift through every message that comes to you. When a smart coworker says he’s having a slow afternoon, ask him to help you out. Maybe, just maybe, his education or past experiences will add something to your work that you could not have on your own.

• Are there any time-saving, efficiency tips that you think people too often overlook that can make life just a little easier?