Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

7 Small-Business Owners Share Their Best Productivity Tips (Infographic) Make haste without waste.

By Kim Lachance Shandrow

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Stocksnap

This article originally published December 13, 2015.

Efficiency is a buzzword often bandied about in the office, but what does it actually mean and why is it so important?

Merriam-Webster defines it as "the ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy." In other words, efficiency -- rooted in the Latin verb efficere, which means "to accomplish" -- is essentially making haste without waste. In the results now-focused world of business, it's accomplishing things quickly without frittering away company time or money, both of which many entrepreneurs cannot afford to lose.

To help you mind your business -- and, by extension, your bottom line -- in good time, the folks at Make It Cheaper, a service that helps small and medium-sized businesses negotiate cheaper rates on insurance, broadband and electricity, have rounded up seven key efficiency lessons from a host of entrepreneurs. From delegating tasks to avoiding distractions, check them out in the short and, yes, efficient infographic below.

Related: The Art of Efficiency: How to Do One Thing at a Time

Click to Enlarge

7-efficiency-lessons-from-small-business-owners.jpg(Infographic)

Related: 10 Simple Productivity Tips for Organizing Your Work Life

Kim Lachance Shandrow

Former West Coast Editor

Kim Lachance Shandrow is the former West Coast editor at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was a commerce columnist at Los Angeles CityBeat, a news producer at MSNBC and KNBC in Los Angeles and a frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Times. She has also written for Government Technology magazine, LA Yoga magazine, the Lowell Sun newspaper, HealthCentral.com, PsychCentral.com and the former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Coop. Follow her on Twitter at @Lashandrow. You can also follow her on Facebook here

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

TikTok Reportedly Laid Off a 'Large Percentage' of Employees as the App's Fate in the U.S. Remains Unclear

Laid-off TikTok employees were notified Wednesday night through Thursday morning.

Personal Finance

This Investment Bundle Includes a Trading Course and Stock Screener Tool for $150

Approach the stock market with an increased understanding.

Business News

Four Seasons Orlando Responds to Viral TikTok: 'There's Something Here For All Ages'

The video has amassed over 45.4 million views on TikTok.

Growing a Business

5 Strategies to Know As You Scale Your Business

Scaling a service-based company requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond simply increasing revenue. It requires careful planning, strategic decision-making and a deep understanding of market dynamics.

Growing a Business

The Right Way to Ask Someone for a Million Dollars, According to a Fundraiser Who Does It For a Living

No matter what you're raising money for, Wanda Urbanskia says, the same basic rules apply.