Rinse and Repeat: Over Perform Don’t Overthink
“Gah! I swear I’ve done this 100 times. Why does it feel like I’m reinventing the wheel…again?!”
Does that thought ever run through your head?
Much of our life is surprisingly predictable. We perform the same type of work and the same actions over and over again.
Time to create another proposal.
My next trip is here.
A coworker just asked me a question I know I’ve already answered…
Back to the drawing board. Start from scratch. Put the brain on full speed.
But what a waste.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be focused on what’s next, the new ideas and innovations and things that light me up. Pulling my brain to focus on old content I’ve already forgotten about…not my idea of a good time.
I vote we make life a little bit easier. Find actions that can be put on autopilot, embrace a more relaxed control, and save brain power for where it matters.
Read on for a few of my favorite rinse and repeat hacks!
Create a reusable packing checklist
I love a good trip or vacation.
But packing always feels like a daunting endeavor. Time is spent racking my brain to try to think of everything I might need at my disposal when away from home. And, I’m always convinced I’m definitely going to forget something…
Now, confession, I’m probably always going to be an anxious packer, starting the task MANY days before the scheduled departure. And I fully embrace my overpacking tendencies (but what if Hawaii has a cold front and I need extra layers?! Throw in the jacket! Or two…). That’s just who I am and I’m just fine with it.
But there’s one area I’ve locked down that I would wholeheartedly recommend. A reusable packing checklist!
Every trip and vacation has a standard set of items you need to account for: socks, PJs, iPad, vitamins, face wash…etc.
So, I created a checklist in the Notes app on my phone that has all these basics covered. Now, whenever I’m packing for a trip, my list is 80% done.
From there, I can just focus on the trip-specific needs — How many days/outfits will I need? Beach vacation this time? Add a swimsuit and towel to the list…etc.
Not only does this save time in deciding what to pack, but it also reduces the anxiety of what you think you might have forgotten because with checklist in hand, you have plenty of well-documented experience with what you need. You’re a packing pro!
Rinse and repeat!
Create a library of answers to frequently asked questions
Chances are you get asked the same questions over. And over. And over again.
This makes sense as you interact with new people and new circumstances.
And some occurrences may be a little more…uh, triggering…as you wonder if you are talking on deaf ears.
Either way, I like like to make it easier on myself to provide a quick response without too much thought.
To do this, I’m in the habit of writing down my answers to frequently asked questions wherever I store relevant documentation and resources around the topic. For example, I create an FAQ space for client-specific details that are filed away in SharePoint or Google Drive, internal office processes documented on a wiki, and I even have a note on my phone for directions to my house.
Whenever I get asked the same question two or three times, that’s my signal to document an FAQ!
The next time the question is asked, I either point the asker to the documentation or reply with a quick and easy copy and paste, saving tons of time trying to formulate a coherent response again. And again. And again.
Rinse and repeat!
Create templates for frequently created documents
Most of our work endeavors, and likely even some areas of our personal life, involve creating some sort of document. Presentations. Spreadsheets. Proposals. Oh my.
Similar work. Similar documents.
But it can often feel like you’re starting from scratch every single time.
It doesn’t have to!
Whenever I start to feel like I’m stuck in a Bill Murray-less remake of Groundhog Day, I look to those pitch decks or instructional guides or budget trackers I’m constantly re-creating and think: templatize!
If you find yourself in your own deja vu, dig up the latest document version you created and save it as a “template”. This may seem daunting, but will likely take less time than you think. 5–10 minutes to have an asset you can reuse repeatedly and save hours down the line.
Once you have the initial template, use this as the starting point for consistency and just focus on filling in the gaps specific to the new project. It’s like starting a puzzle that just needs the last final pieces put in place. Minimal thinking. Maximum productivity.
Rinse and repeat!
Create a reusable checklist for completing similar projects
Back to my friend, the checklist!
In addition to repeatable documentation, there are likely projects you do that require the same, or similar steps, to get from start to finish. Every time.
In these cases, I write down a checklist of those steps and store them for easy access the next time I encounter a similar project.
Much like the reusable packing checklist, this can alleviate the extra anxiety of worrying I’m going to forget something. And it reduces the brainpower needed just to decide where to start or determine your next action.
I’ve found these checklists also make it much easier to schedule blocks of time on my calendar to work on the project. I know all the tasks I need to make time for so I can set a realistic deadline for when I’ll be done.
More brain power saved. More anxiety eliminated.
Rinse and repeat!
Don’t think I can’t hear you objecting that this sounds like four more items I just added to your to-do list…
But! Investing a little extra time on the front end to templatize or organize work you do over and over again can save a massive amount of time and brain space later down the line.
So, I assure you, it’s four to-dos that are totally worth checking off your list.
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