Introduction
Working faster isn't about running faster.
It's about stopping the pointless time leaks.
In the previous chapters, you learned how to organize your work and protect your focus. But even with perfect planning and deep focus, one obvious limit remains: execution speed.
This chapter is about that last step.
Not to work more, but to do the same work in less time, with less effort.
Why acceleration comes last
Trying to speed up too early is a classic mistake.
If you move faster on useless tasks, you just waste time... faster.
Speed only makes sense if:
- you know what to do,
- you know when to do it,
- you know what not to work on.
Once those fundamentals are in place, speed becomes a massive lever.
Every small optimization gets repeated hundreds, sometimes thousands of times.
Sharpen your axe before you speed up
Before tools or techniques, adopt one fundamental principle: time invested in preparation is almost never wasted.
That's the entire point of this page:
-> Sharpen your axe: prepare before you execute
Working faster always starts with creating a clean, stable, smooth working environment.
Create the right working conditions
Working fast starts with working on the right tools.
A simple example: the smartphone.
Great to consume content. Terrible to produce effectively.
That's why a simple rule matters:
-> Computer first: forget your smartphone
Less friction, more speed, less mental fatigue.
Energy is a limited resource
Sustainable speed requires protecting your cognitive energy.
Two major enemies:
- lack of sleep,
- too many unnecessary decisions.
Sleep is probably the most underestimated productivity lever today:
-> The power of sleep: sleep better to work better
And even when you're well-rested, you burn out fast if you decide too much:
-> Decision fatigue: keep energy for important decisions
Eliminate repetitive tasks for good
One simple rule: if you do the same thing twice, you can probably automate it.
That's the "never twice" principle:
-> Automate repetitive tasks
And for anything that involves writing, there's an incredibly powerful lever:
-> Text expanders: never type the same text twice
Less typing, fewer mistakes, more speed.
Speed up everyday actions
A huge part of wasted time comes from invisible micro-friction:
- a slow mouse pointer,
- weak keyboard skills,
- no shortcuts.
Optimizing those small moves compounds into big gains:
-> Keyboard and mouse shortcuts: work faster on your computer
Find information instantly
Looking for a file should never take more than a few seconds.
Instead of navigating through complex folders, learn to think in keyword search:
-> Find files fast with keywords
Speed up communication with others
A lot of time at work is wasted on... other people.
More precisely:
- ambiguous emails,
- useless meetings,
- avoidable back-and-forth.
Two key pages to fix that:
- -> Explicit communication: write to reduce back-and-forth
- -> The two-pizza rule: make meetings effective
Work faster by doing less
Working faster isn't about optimizing everything the same way.
The key is understanding that not everything has the same value.
That's where the 80/20 principle and the barbell strategy come in:
-> The barbell strategy: how to apply the 80/20 rule
Do less, but better.
Cut noise to make room for impact.
Bonus: 25 small habits that save hours every week
In summary
Working faster isn't about forcing yourself.
It's about:
- removing friction,
- automating what doesn't matter,
- standardizing what repeats,
- protecting your energy,
- focusing effort where it truly matters.
Once those principles are in place, the time you free up becomes a real lever.
Not just to produce more, but to live better.