How to automate tasks
There are a lot of repetitive tasks that we must complete throughout our work days that often use energy that could better be spent elsewhere.
Filling forms, data entry, project setup, and many other tasks are excellent opportunities for automation.
The types of automation that I write about here aren’t always end-to-end automations that will allow you to put your feet up and collect a paycheck for a 0-hour work week. What I write about usually comes in the form of smaller steps that can streamline larger processes. Sometimes reducing a process by a few keystrokes, or a single a keyboard-to-mouse movement can reduce the mental load that it takes to complete a task and get you working on something more important.
Tools
There are many available tools that can help workers automate tasks. Some software has tools for automation built into it (like macros in Microsoft Office programs).
My favorite tools for automation are AutoHotkey (Windows only) and Python. Both of these are broad tools that work with almost any software on the operating system (OS) they live on.
Concepts
Before automating a process, you must first understand it in its entirety.
- Why are you doing the task?
- How long does it take to complete manually?
- How often do you have to do the task?
- How much of your overall workload does the task take?
Next, break the task into smaller tasks.
After identifying smaller pieces of a larger task, pay attention to the steps it takes to complete that piece of the task.
Here are some things that can make automation easier at this phase:
- Can the task be done without using the mouse?
- Use tab keys to switch fields when entering data
- If there is a button or area that tabbing can’t reach, try holding the Alt key and activating buttons with your keyboard
- Identify any software delays
- Does something need time to load?
- Do you need to switch between open programs?
- Do you need to open, write to, or close files?
- Is there a variable number of outputs for this task (e.g. generating a list of completion certificates from a spreadsheet will take longer if there’s more data)