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

ByKim 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 verbefficere, 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 atMake 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 atLos Angeles CityBeat,a news producer at MSNBC and KNBC in Los Angeles and a frequent contributor to theLos Angeles Times. She has also written forGovernment Technologymagazine,LA Yogamagazine, theLowell Sunnewspaper, 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 Facebookhere.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

A Judge Just Ordered Sam Bankman-Fried to Go To Jail. 'He Tried to Tamper with Witnesses at Least Twice.'

The disgraced former CEO of FTX will remain in custody ahead of his criminal trial in October.

Living

Keep Your Cats Happy With This $25 Automatic Toy

It moves and balances on its own so your cats can play with it for hours.

Money & Finance

Want to Become a Millionaire? Follow Warren Buffett's 4 Rules.

企业家是不能过度指雷竞技手机版望太多a company exit for their eventual 'win.' Do this instead.

Business News

Report: Jeff Bezos Scoops Up $68 Million Estate in Lavish Florida Community

The billionaire also owns a $78 million vacation property in Hawaii.

Marketing

'Barbie' Was a Publicity Machine — Here's How Barbie and 4 Other Blockbusters Mastered the Art of Marketing

'Barbie' reportedly had a $150 million marketing budget, and it exceeded that figure in its opening weekend. Here's how their marketing team pulled it off.

Living

Get a One-Year Sam's Club Membership for Only $24.99

When stocking up on office supplies, this can be a great way to shop for bulk deals on food and other everyday essentials.