Are you going to waste 10 minutes today? For the vast majority of us the answer is “yup, and the rest!”.
Many of you who have interacted with me will have heard me talk about the fact that 10 minutes per day = 40 hours per year, or 2% of your annual payroll spend. (10 minutes X 5 days per week X 52 weeks = 2300 minutes divide by 60 = 43.33 hours). Or, in other terms, about $1,000 per year per full-time employee on minimum wage from your profit, per 10 minutes
Even the best and brightest among us can find ourselves expending tremendous energy on tasks that ultimately don’t move the needle, simply because we believe we’re doing what’s right. It’s a common trap in any workplace: dedicating hours to activities that feel important, but may not contribute meaningfully to our goals. This isn’t just about working harder—it’s about working smarter.
So how do you help individuals see the bigger picture, understand the impact of their work, and focus on tasks that truly matter?
When your team knows the difference between activity and productivity, their efforts become more strategic and their achievements more significant.
So, how do we achieve this?:
- setting clear objectives/goals and sharing the rationale behind them.
- Having clear and open discussion about what those objectives/goals mean for each persons role
- Welcome feedback on what’s working and what isn’t.
- Recognise and celebrate smart decisions—not just hard work—so your team feels empowered to seek efficiency and effectiveness.
Remember, motivation isn’t just about pushing people to do more, but inspiring them to do better. With this shift in mindset, you’ll unlock your team’s potential and drive meaningful progress together.
Click here to watch the recording of the webinar expanding on this topic