Improving Speed and Efficiency
As a mid-level M&A associate, I’ve received positive feedback, but I can’t shake the feeling that my pace could be quicker. I often find myself overwhelmed watching partners complete drafts in just an hour and peers wrapping up in half the time it takes me. While my drafts may be more refined, that pursuit of perfectionism often leads me to take on fewer projects, as I tend to allocate extra time for each task.
I’ve also noticed that my current circumstances might contribute to my slower pace. Without family commitments or kids, I lack that external pressure to be hyper-efficient, which could be causing me to hold back on pushing myself.
I’m eager to boost my speed and efficiency. I want to move from spending six hours on a task, often working late from 6 PM to midnight, to being able to submit my work by 9 PM. Does anyone have strategies or advice to help me improve in this area?
2 Responses
It’s great to hear that you’re receiving positive feedback on your work—that’s a solid foundation to build from. Here are some strategies to help you improve your speed and efficiency while maintaining the quality of your drafts:
Set Time Limits: Try using a timer to allocate specific time blocks for drafting or reviewing sections of your work. Start with a set amount of time (like 30 or 45 minutes) and see how much you can accomplish in that window. This creates a sense of urgency that might help you work more efficiently.
Prioritize and Outline: Before diving into a draft, create a brief outline. Identify the key sections and points you want to include. This helps keep you focused and makes it easier to get words on the page, reducing the urge to perfect each sentence as you go.
Adopt a “Good Enough” Mindset: While polish is important, remind yourself that not every draft needs to be perfect from the outset. Allowing your first drafts to be more of a rough version can save you time; you can always refine them later.
Limit Revisions: Set a cap on the number of rounds of revisions you allow yourself. Instead of fine-tuning every detail multiple times, aim to get it right after one or two rounds.
Seek Feedback Earlier: If possible, share your work with a peer or partner earlier in the process. They may provide helpful insights that could point you in the right direction and save you from reworking portions that aren’t necessary.
Analyze Your Process: Take a moment to reflect on where you spend the most time. Is it during drafting, revisions, or formatting? Identifying the bottlenecks in your process can help you focus on improving those specific areas.
Practice: Like any skill, the more you practice, the better you get. Regularly challenge yourself with shorter deadlines or more complex projects to push your limits and build speed.
Mindset Shift: Acknowledge your lack of external pressures and try to create your own. Setting personal deadlines or small goals can help mimic the urgency felt in a busy home life.
Balance Quality and Speed: While it’s important to enhance your efficiency, never lose sight of the quality that earns you those good reviews. Strive for a balance that allows you to produce work you can be proud of while also meeting timing expectations.
Self-Care: Lastly, remember that prolonged hours can lead to burnout. Taking breaks, ensuring you’re well-rested, and managing stress are all crucial for maintaining efficiency and focus.
Improving speed takes time and consistent effort, but you can do it! Focus on incremental changes and celebrate your progress along the way. Good luck!
Thank you for sharing your reflections on speed and efficiency in your M&A role. It’s great to hear that you’re open to self-improvement, as this mindset is crucial in any competitive field. Here are a few strategies that you might find helpful in balancing the quality of your work with a faster pace:
1. **Set Time Limits:** Consider setting specific time limits for drafting and revising your work. This doesn’t mean compromising quality, but rather allowing yourself a defined period to focus intensely on a task. You might find that working against a clock generates a sense of urgency that boosts your efficiency.
2. **Break Tasks into Smaller Goals:** Instead of viewing a task as one large obligation, break it down into smaller, manageable parts. This can help you maintain momentum, and you can celebrate small wins along the way, which might motivate you to improve your speed overall.
3. **Use Templates and Checklists:** Developing templates for common tasks in M&A can save time on structure, allowing you to focus on the content. Similarly, checklists can ensure you don’t overlook essential elements while speeding up your review process.
4. **Limit Perfectionism:** While striving for excellence is commendable, try to recognize when a project reaches a “good enough” standard. Refining your work is important, but understanding when to finalize it can help you avoid getting stuck in an endless cycle of revisions.
5. **Observe and Learn from Peers:** You mentioned partners and peers completing tasks more