> [!cite] Dictionary definition > the ratio of the useful work performed by a machine or in a process to the total energy expended or heat taken in. My loose definition: ![[Efficiency.excalidraw.png]] The implications here are that you **know your desired outcome** (i.e. [[What are You Optimizing For]]) and you **can measure what resources are & are not driving it**. > [!example] Air Condition Example > Recently my electricity bill has been too high. I blame the thermostat being set too low. My dad points out the basement is *freezing*, and that I should shut the vents in the basement. I realize I'm paying to air condition a space that's already cold enough. I shut the vents. We stop spending ~1/2 our AC bill chilling air that's already too cold. > - **Desired outcome**: comfortable temperature experience for family > - **Resources achieving outcome**: energy into cooling the hot rooms > - **All resources used**: energy into cooling *every* room Efficiency is why [[Do the Simplest Thing]] is typically the right approach. Doing things takes [[3 Personal Resources|resources]]. [[Dependency Chains are the Victim of Statistics]] - and so are the accumulation of [[Overhead]]s for doing [[Waste]]ful tasks. I'll leave a note here at the bottom of this note on efficiency - [[Results are not Presence]] & [[Productivity isn’t Inherently Good]]. **** # More ## Source - Google's definition, apparently from Oxford