Was tun Sie, wenn Sie als Cybersicherheitsexperte Zeit mit unwesentlichen Aufgaben verschwenden?

Very important to prioritize the most important task at hand. I usually create 3-5 tiny targets (that aligns with overall goals) everyday and keep that as the measure of success for the day. The other thing that has helped me is “2 minute” rule. If you come across anything that takes less than 2 minutes, knock it out immediately. This will help your “to-do” list tremendously. I strongly recommend “Getting Things Done” by David Allen to increase your efficiency and help focus on things that matter.

If I find myself wasting time on non-essential tasks, I would prioritize my activities based on their criticality and impact on security. This involves reevaluating my task list, identifying and eliminating time-wasting activities, and focusing on high-priority tasks that directly contribute to enhancing cybersecurity measures. Additionally, I would streamline processes, automate repetitive tasks where possible, and delegate tasks that can be handled by other team members, ensuring optimal use of time and resources in safeguarding the organization's security posture.

The first step is to identify the Time Wasters. Take a critical look at your daily activities and identify tasks or activities that are not directly contributing to your cybersecurity goals or objectives. Although structured methods of task categorization and tracking exist, check the time spent on common time wasters - excessive email checking, social media browsing, or unproductive meetings.

In cybersecurity, prioritizing tasks is critical for effective risk management. I recommend employing the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks based on urgency and importance. Identify critical vulnerabilities, ongoing breaches, or imminent threats as urgent and important. Addressing system updates, staff training, and policy reviews fall under important but not urgent. Routine checks and low-priority activities can be scheduled or delegated. This method ensures focus on pressing security issues while managing routine tasks efficiently, safeguarding your organization's assets.

If you find yourself wasting time on non-essential tasks as a cybersecurity professional, prioritize your activities based on their importance and urgency. Identify critical security tasks that directly contribute to your organization's security posture and focus your efforts on those first. By effectively prioritizing tasks, you can ensure that your time and resources are allocated to activities that have the most significant impact on protecting your organization's assets and mitigating security risks.

In this fast-paced world, it's very common to get distracted. Understand the concept of deep work and focus on the task at hand only. Use URL blockers to block social media during work hours, disable notifications during work hours. P.S. Read book "Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World" by Cal Newport

In cybersecurity, minimizing distractions is paramount for maintaining focus and efficiency. Establishing designated times for email and message checks, along with scheduling meetings in consolidated blocks, helps create uninterrupted periods for critical tasks. Leveraging features like 'Do Not Disturb' modes on devices further enhances concentration during intricate security operations. By proactively managing distractions, professionals can optimize productivity and effectively safeguard organizational assets against potential threats.

To combat wasting time on non-essential tasks as a cybersecurity professional, it's essential to eliminate distractions that hinder productivity. Minimize interruptions by silencing notifications, setting specific times for checking emails or messages, and creating a distraction-free workspace. By creating a conducive environment for focused work, you can maximize efficiency and devote more time to essential cybersecurity tasks.

Switch off all unneeded notifications. Close your email client if possible. Set alternative delegates while you are working. Batch your tasks so that you maintain your focus. Set an "escape alarm" for the end. Then power through your tasks

Another effective strategy for reducing time spent on non-essential tasks in cybersecurity is to automate processes wherever possible. Identify repetitive tasks such as routine vulnerability scans, log analysis, or patch management, and implement automation tools or scripts to streamline these processes. By automating mundane tasks, you can free up valuable time to focus on more critical security initiatives and strategic activities, ultimately enhancing your organization's overall security posture.

Before you do it - stop and think. Do you need it? There is a danger of moving no-value activities out of sight by reducing the amount of time they take. But, the quantity builds up over time. All technology requires some maintenance, giving you work later. Automate things that bring you value. The most experienced professionals I know always remove, reduce, and prioritise. Ask the hard questions - you don't save time by automating things you don't need.

Many cybersecurity tools already have built-in automation features. Make sure you're fully utilizing these capabilities before seeking out new tools or solutions. Start with what you already have, before being forced to learn new tools or buying upgraded licenses.

Automation is key in cybersecurity. The amount of threats will increase and are becoming more complex. This means that the amount of cyber security work that a team handles will increase drastically. Organizations should change their in-house SOC from a team that handles incidents to a team that manages cyber security automation. Organizations should invest in automation related to incident response, exposure management and vulnerability management.

Delegating tasks effectively is a powerful method to alleviate the burden of non-essential responsibilities as a cybersecurity professional. Identify tasks suitable for delegation, such as routine monitoring or administrative duties, and empower team members with appropriate training and resources to handle them. By distributing workload strategically, you can optimize productivity, foster team collaboration, and ensure that everyone can focus on tasks aligned with their expertise and priorities, thus enhancing overall efficiency in cybersecurity operations.

The value of doing something has to be compared to other things that can be done - that's how you set priorities. Delegate when someone else can create more (and get more) value from an activity. Delete, don't delegate, when everyone can do something else that's more valuable.

See above for Eisenhower Matrix, and how to identify tasks that can be delegated. Then once you have figured out which tasks you can hand off. Look for routine tasks, tasks others can do just as well or better, and tasks that offer development opportunities for your team members. When you delegate, be crystal clear about what you expect. Define the task, the desired outcome, any deadlines, and the level of authority they have to make decisions related to the task.

Cybersecurity is an ongoing cat-and-mouse game where both detection and prevention mechanisms, as well as the attacks they aim to thwart, grow increasingly complex. Keeping up-to-date of all advancements in the field is crucial to stay one step ahead. Aside from staying up to date on all prevention and attack mechanisms, I would suggest to also learn a skill related to automation. This can be a programming language (e.g. Python) or techniques like machine learning and AI. These tools can help you defend your environment better.

Continous improvement is key element of every security strategy. As threat actors and technology are evolving, organizations and individuals need to adjust their way of working from time to time. I recommend to think about efficiencty at least once a year and to make decisions even if it's hard. Changing things is often seen as an admission of a wrong decision in the past. This is wrong. It is rather a sign of the will to improve.

Do you want continuous improvement? Make small changes constantly. But, if you want 10x improvements... you need to step out of your day-to-day world to change your mental models, and way of thinking. Go to a conference, go to training, read, experiment, and do things that don't (already) fit into your normal workflows.

Learn to say "No". Be selective about taking on new tasks or commitments that may distract you from your core cybersecurity responsibilities. Learn to say no to requests or projects that are not aligned with your goals or priorities, and communicate your workload and limitations effectively to stakeholders. Take regular breaks and practice self-care. Incorporate regular breaks into your workday to rest and recharge. Taking short breaks can help prevent burnout, improve focus and concentration, and enhance overall productivity.

As a cybersecurity specialist, prioritise your work by concentrating on high-impact projects that are in line with organisational objectives. Assign or automate recurring jobs, such as updating documentation or doing regular security checks. To save time and effort, consider implementing automated approval workflows or delegating this duty to junior team members rather than personally reviewing each access request. To ensure effective use of time and resources, classify jobs according to significance and urgency using time management approaches such as the Eisenhower Matrix. Reevaluate priorities and workflows on a regular basis to maximise efficiency and effectiveness in handling important security issues.