Some of My Tricks for Raising Work Efficiency

Doctors work in multitask mode; the more patients there are, the more disorderly and unfocused the work can become. But if a doctor's work really becomes chaotic, the patients coming for treatment will feel anxious.

I have worked out a set of work methods, which I believe help raise efficiency.

First, keep a daily work log. I now write mine twice a day. Because I work mainly in the morning, I write up the morning's log immediately after finishing. I record the questions of every visitor and inquirer one by one, focusing on the problems not yet solved. Before bed I record once more, mainly the afternoon and evening consultations and condition feedback, listing each patient's unresolved issues. Key items go into a separate memo.

At the same time, each night I update each patient's case record based on the day's log, writing down every change in detail and thinking about whether there is a better way to solve these patients' problems. If I still cannot think of a way, I jot a note in the memo to look up materials when free.

This habit has helped me a great deal. I used to keep these in paper notebooks; now I keep them on the computer, and the data syncs with my phone. I often flip through my logs and memos to focus on the problems I have not yet solved. When I go to the library I bring my laptop or phone, pull up my memos, and then look up materials with purpose.

Of course, many of the problems I need to solve are world-class medical challenges with few answers in the existing literature; I still have to keep raising my own foundational skill to work out better solutions. Memos and logs help me reinforce memory of my weak points, and during study, content that might inspire me springs to mind by reflex.

Second, build a workflow that prevents wasted time. I have been exploring and improving this, and it is gradually taking shape. The workflow differs from person to person, but the habit of writing work logs helps us refine it.

I keep track of how I spend my time and assess the value of each kind of time expenditure; gradually I remove low-value time drains from my life.

Much of my work is repetitive, so patterns are easy to find. Once a certain type of matter keeps recurring and is basically a time-wasting, useless thing, I set a threshold for it. I keep what is truly necessary and filter out what is less necessary. Setting up this filtering mechanism has cut waste by over 95%.

For example, I have set consultation criteria for my readers; the conditions in these criteria conform to medical norms. But to many who want only a casual inquiry, these thresholds are too high to cross, so I can filter out low-intention inquirers. Those who are genuinely willing to cross the thresholds will likely build good cooperative relationships with me. What I need is not a huge number of casual acquaintances, but a small number of patients who can collaborate well and may achieve good results.

There are many similar points in work that can be solved procedurally. With a good procedure set up, we can instantly cut countless unnecessary wastes and reclaim a great deal of time.

Everyone's temperament differs, and so does the work mode that suits them; process design must be tailored to one's own nature. I have been searching for a workflow suited to myself, and after more than ten years it has basically taken shape. With it I can save myself a lot of trouble. Many think I should have an assistant, but in fact the best assistant is a highly efficient workflow.

I have read some books on time and self-management, bestsellers such as the Pomodoro Technique, but honestly I found them rather rubbish. I personally have no need for a rigid method like Pomodoro.

Third, have the ability to focus quickly. This may be a challenge for many people, because most cannot easily concentrate. I lean toward thinking that the ability to focus is innate; I cannot explain why I have such a strong capacity for concentration, but over the years I have gained a great deal from it.

I am not easily distracted by the outside. When I set aside one task and move to another, I get into a working state within a minute or two. For example, after seeing patients I can quickly finish my work log; after the log I can quickly write an article—my writing speed is generally 2,000-3,000 characters an hour, which comes from years of diligent writing; the more you train, the better your writing. After writing I can quickly switch into reading mode.

People who concentrate have especially high work efficiency, and such people are generally not suited to socializing. Personally, in social gatherings of more than three people I am silent most of the time. Unless the friend is so close as to be beyond familiarity, I say nothing. So I used to have a few friends who would invite me to their gatherings, but after a few awkward silences they stopped inviting me, and over time my social circle basically dried up.

I am also the sort of person who can enjoy himself without socializing. The less socializing, the more I can focus. Life is mostly a one-person game for me. Being absorbed in my own thoughts is itself a fulfilling kind of life; I believe some people feel the same.

Last, get enough sleep. My understanding of sufficient sleep is six or seven hours at night, plus daytime naps whenever I feel sleepy, without forcing myself. Two or three hours before sleep, do some moderate-to-high intensity exercise, which helps sleep quality.

I schedule receiving visitors at noon each day, because after a night's sleep my energy is very high and my brain clearest at midday. Choosing to work then is a sign of respect for the visitors. After work—whether at noon, afternoon, or evening—whenever I feel drowsy I put down whatever I am doing without hesitation to nap, and then work after waking.

This sleep habit is truly good; it keeps the brain clear, relaxed, and active while working, so tasks get done efficiently. It also slows aging, so that even with a heavy workload one stays youthful.

Efficient work is a state everyone wants, but it is not achieved overnight; it requires being good at summarizing, generalizing, thinking, and practicing. Only by constantly thinking and acting can one work out an efficient method suited to oneself.