Here's how you can maximize efficiency in your sustainability career by avoiding common time-wasting habits.

Not uncommonly, we are overwhelmed by the many tasks and urgent matters in a day and many of the urgent issues could have been solved later. So, one of the most important skills you can learn is prioritizing your work. What this means is: to be able to discuss with clients/colleagues/partners and see if what they are asking for is urgent or not and to be able to analyse the situation yourself to see if there is a task that can be left for the next day. This prioritization you invest will help you in other areas of your life. It will help you on a personal level and help you limit outside distractions.

Avoid procrastination and overcommitment to increase efficiency in your sustainable profession. Prioritise high-impact jobs with defined timeframes. Setting clear agendas and time limitations might help reduce unproductive meetings. Use automation technologies to streamline repetitive activities and keep paperwork organised. To remain competitive, prioritise strategic planning and ongoing learning. Delegate successfully while avoiding micromanagement. Review and alter your process on a regular basis to ensure that it aligns with sustainability goals and optimises resources.

> Evaluate your current work habits and identify key areas for improvement > design an efficient system that works for you and your organization by integrating the most appropriate frameworks and techniques > regularly review your efficiency and adjust your approach as needed > to foster a culture of efficiency and continuous improvement, share these insights with your team or sustainability network > learning and mastering digital tools can significantly improve productivity as a sustainability professional > understanding the current landscape of sustainability careers, including rapid growth and evolving skill demands > determine if you have common time-wasting habits specific to sustainability, such as overreporting

My remit is very large, I cover 15 countries and a portfolio of 70+ brands with competing priorities. When I started in my role, I spent a considerable amount of time interviewing key stakeholders within the business to better understand their priorities. I then organized these priorities and determined which priorities aligned across multiple stakeholders. From there I was able to prioritize our focus to cover the key areas that would have the most impact.

Create a focused work environment by minimizing distractions like unnecessary meetings or excessive email checking. Set specific times for communication and stick to them. Use time-blocking techniques to dedicate uninterrupted periods to deep work on sustainability initiatives.

Distractions are a major time-waster, and limiting them is key to staying productive. Whether it’s constant emails, social media, or unplanned meetings, interruptions can derail your focus. Create a working environment where you can concentrate on the task at hand by setting boundaries, turning off notifications, and scheduling uninterrupted time for deep work. Being mindful of how you spend your time will allow you to work more efficiently and make meaningful progress in your sustainability career.

Overcoming perfectionism is essential; instead of aiming for flawless outcomes, prioritize timely progress and adapt along the way. Avoid excessive meetings by streamlining communication and only engaging in discussions with clear objectives. Procrastination can be managed by breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps and setting deadlines.

Distractions can derail your productivity, so it's essential to limit interruptions. Set specific times to check emails or messages instead of being constantly reactive. In my experience, blocking off time for deep work helps you stay focused and produce better results. Consider using apps like Freedom or RescueTime to monitor and limit distractions, ensuring your focus remains on advancing sustainability goals.

Clear and concise communication is crucial in sustainability work, which often involves collaboration with various teams and stakeholders. However, over-communication or inefficient meetings can waste valuable time. Streamlining communication channels, whether through well-organized meetings, efficient email practices, or the use of collaborative tools, ensures that everyone is aligned without lengthy back-and-forths. This approach keeps the focus on achieving sustainability goals while minimizing unnecessary time spent on repetitive updates or unclear messages.

Too many meetings and emails can sap valuable time. Streamline communication by setting clear expectations and sticking to concise messaging. Opt for tools like Slack or Teams for quick updates, and limit meetings to only essential participants. In my experience, establishing a clear communication protocol saves time, reduces back-and-forth, and lets you focus on impactful work. This approach keeps your sustainability projects moving forward efficiently.

Seja em reuni?es ou e-mails, sempre tento ser direto ao ponto e reduzir informa??es desnecessárias. A comunica??o simplificada é especialmente importante em uma carreira de sustentabilidade, onde o foco está em gerar impactos positivos e eficientes. Assim, você também contribui para a eficiência dos processos, reduzindo o tempo gasto com corre??es e retrabalhos e garantindo que as iniciativas sustentáveis sejam implementadas de maneira mais rápida e eficaz.

Ensure efficient communication by using collaborative tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams to centralize discussions. Keep meetings short and agenda-focused. Regular updates via shared platforms can reduce time spent on long email threads, ensuring clarity without over-communication.

This can be done easily with tools and setting expectations with others. Use tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams to streamline project communication in one place, rather than through scattered emails. Then share your communication boundaries. Set specific hours for answering emails or messages to avoid constant interruptions. This can be made internally available either in your status note on Teams/Slack or within a "how I work" document. Create templates for common responses to speed up email communication, especially those that you start to notice coming in regularly.

One of the most common time-wasting habits is trying to do everything yourself. In sustainability projects, delegating tasks to the right people is essential. Understand the strengths of your team members and assign tasks accordingly to maximize efficiency. Trusting others to manage parts of the project allows you to focus on higher-level strategy and decision-making, ensuring that time is spent where it’s most valuable. Delegating not only saves time but also empowers your team to take ownership of their contributions.

Recognize when to assign tasks to team members or colleagues who have the expertise or bandwidth. This prevents bottlenecks and allows you to focus on more strategic sustainability efforts. Clear delegation with set expectations helps avoid micro-management and ensures accountability.

Again, this can be done effectively with tools and setting expectations from the start. If there is a break in communication right now, it is always okay to "start fresh" and communicate your needs now. When assigning tasks, be clear about the objectives, deadlines, and expected outcomes. Delegate tasks to those who have the skills and authority to complete them, allowing you to focus on high-priority areas. When you leverage tools like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com to track progress on tasks, you ensure accountability and clarity in the process.

Learning to delegate effectively can free up your time to focus on strategic tasks. Don’t hesitate to assign routine or administrative work to others, particularly when their skillset is better suited for it. In my experience, effective delegation not only lightens your load but also empowers others to contribute to sustainability initiatives. By trusting your team, you can focus on tasks that maximise your impact.

Sustainability is rapidly evolving. Every day there new legislation, research, standards and frameworks, think pieces and more are released to address the most pressing issues of our time. Staying up to date of emerging trends, regulations and innovations is critical to advancing your sustainability career. Not just that, but being able to link all of this information together to understand the field in a holistic manner is critical!

Sustainability is a new and evolving field. Most of what we know and apply today did not exist a decade back. A decade back, no one was studying sustainability in college. Today there are a range of courses from Masters in sustainability to sustainable finance. So it's important to keep oneself updated in this constantly evolving field. The learning can be through formal courses, reading a lot, certifications, attending events, talking to people and overall just being curious!

Having advised both early- and late-career sustainability professionals, I’ve found it's all about staying focused on meaningful actions that align with your job responsibilities and career goals. The sustainability space is always evolving, and with the shifts in ESG in recent years, it's easy to second-guess where to focus. To maximize efficiency, align your goals with the right learning opportunities to stay on top of best practices—whether it's pursuing relevant certifications, attending industry events, or tapping into resources that provide valuable, job-specific insights. Learn from trusted resources and avoid chasing trendy sustainability time-wasters that don’t support your career ambitions or organization’s needs.

In the past, continuous learning was like planting seeds—you needed to nurture them but not let them take over the garden. One thing I've found helpful is to schedule specific times for research so I avoid falling into the black hole of endless browsing. I also quickly apply what I've learned, reinforcing the knowledge and keeping my work fresh. After all, in sustainability, staying informed is the key to staying ahead—and who doesn't want to be ahead of the curve?

Sustainability is a dynamic field, and staying up-to-date with industry trends, regulations, and technologies can be time-consuming but necessary. Instead of letting learning consume too much time, incorporate it into your routine efficiently. Allocate specific times for professional development and focus on acquiring knowledge that directly contributes to your work. Attending relevant workshops, reading key reports, or joining short, targeted webinars will keep you informed without overwhelming your schedule.

This is the part that most of us forget. We get bogged down in the day to day and we feel as though nothing is being accomplished. But taking time to review what has been accomplished, reevaluate the things that didn't work so well, and then plotting the course to the next milestone not only helps keep you on track but also gives you the motivation to keep going.

Reflecting on how you spend your time allows you to identify time-wasting habits and make necessary adjustments. Regular reflection gives you the opportunity to assess whether your priorities are in line with your sustainability goals and whether you’re managing your time efficiently. By routinely evaluating your progress and workflow, you can continuously improve how you approach your work, ultimately increasing productivity and maximizing your impact in the sustainability field.

Take time to evaluate the effectiveness of your processes and outcomes. Regular reflection helps identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement. Monthly or quarterly reviews of both individual and team performance can lead to more streamlined and productive workflows.