Just look at the iPhone and everything it has combined into one device. There has even been a popular joke that you could fit an entire electronics store into an iPhone.
Combining things is good business, and many business leaders have become very good at combining different parts of their daily routines to save time.
Think about lunch meetings or conference calls while walking on a treadmill.
Here are 10 more ways to combine activities and save time at the office.
1. Meeting + Walk
This one combines work with physical activity.There are many benefits to walking every day. Many people know that Steve Jobs was a big fan of walking and particularly enjoyed walking meetings.
Try to develop the habit of walking for around 30 minutes every day, preferably outdoors whenever possible.
To save time and make it more likely that you actually take your daily walk, turn one of your 30-minute meetings into a walking meeting. You can even walk around the office if going outside isn't practical.
2. Voicemails + Email
We often underestimate what our brains are capable of doing.I’m not a big fan of multitasking when it comes to intense concentration, critical thinking, or complex tasks.
However, for routine and less demanding activities, multitasking can be useful.
Try checking basic emails while listening to basic voicemails. You probably won’t retain every detail, but you can retain enough information to create tasks, reminders, priorities, and follow-ups.
I once had a manager who worked this way, and it definitely saved time. Sometimes I would walk into his office to tell him something while he listened to voicemails and went through a few emails at the same time.
3. Chatbots + Email
We are already starting to see this on platforms such as LinkedIn.For example, when someone starts a new job, LinkedIn may prompt you to congratulate them and provide a few ready-made message options. You simply click one, and the message is sent.
We will likely see more of this technology in email and messaging.
Look for tools that can learn your most common responses to certain types of messages and suggest them automatically. This can save a significant amount of time, especially when dealing with repetitive communication.
4. Voice Memos + Communication
I think voice messages will become even more popular.We already have the technology to make them extremely convenient.
Imagine texting someone while driving. Instead of typing messages, you could simply record a voice memo. Modern phones can also automatically transcribe voice messages into text, allowing people to either listen or read.
This can be especially useful for busy professionals.
You can listen to audio while working on another task instead of stopping what you are doing to read an email or message.
5. Priority Scheduling + Assistant
You set the priorities, and an assistant organizes the schedule based on those priorities.This approach prevents urgent tasks from constantly taking over your day.
It is very easy for urgent issues to become the priority, even when they are not actually the most important things you should be working on.
One useful approach is to assign priority levels to incoming communication and have an assistant filter messages and calls according to those guidelines.
This ensures that only the most important issues require your immediate attention.
6. Archive + Search
Search tools can make finding information incredibly fast.I’ve seen people go through folder after folder trying to locate a specific file. Even when they have shortcuts to their most important folders, finding individual documents can still take time.
Get into the habit of searching instead.
Use search tools to find emails, voice memos, files, documents, and other information.
Good file naming is also important. The easier it is to predict what keywords you need to search for, the faster you can find what you need.
7. Time Limits + Meetings
There is a saying that if you give someone a 10-pound bag, they will fill it with 10 pounds of stuff.In my experience, the same thing often happens with meetings.
Give a meeting 30 minutes and people will usually fill the entire 30 minutes. It is rare for meetings to end significantly earlier than scheduled.
Try reducing all of your meetings by 10 minutes for one week.
See how it goes.
If productivity does not suffer, consider reducing meeting times even further.
8. Filters + Assistants
This approach is about limiting the number of options and decisions that reach you.Many successful people use filters to protect their time. Derek Sivers has written about this concept as well.
If you are in a leadership position where your time is valuable, creating effective filters can make a major difference.
Assistants can help by filtering incoming requests, messages, calls, and information so that only the most important matters reach you.
The goal is simple: spend your time on things that genuinely require your attention.
9. Audio + Breaks
Use your breaks to consume useful audio content.During lunch breaks, water breaks, or short walks, take your earbuds with you and listen to voice memos, voicemails, podcasts, or short briefings.
Audio can be a powerful productivity tool because you can listen while doing something else.
Instead of dedicating separate time to reading or reviewing certain types of information, you can consume it while walking, taking a break, or completing another simple task.
10. Curated Information + Briefings
Most business leaders need to stay informed about trends, news, and important developments.The problem is that finding reliable sources and reading through all the information can take a significant amount of time.
Instead, have someone or a technology platform curate the most important information for you.
The information can then be turned into short audio briefings.
For example, you could listen to a daily briefing while getting ready in the morning or brushing your teeth.
Audio makes a lot of sense because it allows you to stay informed without having to stop what you are doing.
Conclusion
Combining things can be a great business strategy.When you combine two products or services and reduce the overall cost while solving multiple needs, you may have the foundation for a successful business idea.
The same principle can be applied to your time.
Look at your daily activities and think about which ones can be combined. By doing more than one thing at a time—where appropriate—you can save time, improve efficiency, and ultimately become more productive.