EFFICIENT DEFINITION:carrying out tasks effectively; being productive with one’s time CATEGORIES:achievement SIMILAR ATTRIBUTES:productive POSSIBLE CAUSES: Having a “type A” personality Having a strong drive to succeed Growing up in a busy, active family The need to be productive Being highly active and involved; needing to manage one’s time and energy wisely ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS: Having a good sense of time Making lists Being highly productive Prioritizing well Making decisions quickly Feeling a sense of accomplishment at finishing tasks Always moving and doing Thriving under stress Being able to temper one’s emotions as needed Being logic-driven Setting achievable goals Being highly organized Being able to multitask well Keeping a neat home, bedroom, or office space Setting deadlines and timeframes Delegating tasks to others Avoiding distractions Being highly focused Getting straight to the point Planning ahead Saving money and time whenever possible Thinking and acting proactively Becoming frustrated with overly chatty neighbors and small talk Seeking out knowledge when it’s needed Being comfortable with technology Adhering to a schedule Rushing Rising early; setting one’s alarm Being punctual Having high expectations Asking for help when needed Creating a plan and sticking to it Having a strong sense of responsibility Not getting caught up in small details; staying focused on the goal Being frustrated by wasted time, energy, or resources ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS: I may as well clean up my email while I watch this movie with the kids. Since I pass the post office on the way to work, I’ll drop off this package tomorrow. While Jim’s at ball practice I’ll zip over to the detailing shop and have the car cleaned. How does Lori track expenses with all these loose receipts? She should make a spreadsheet. ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:agitation, annoyance, confidence, determination, pride, satisfaction POSITIVE ASPECTS:Efficient characters are task-oriented, organized, and can get a lot accomplished in a short period of time. They make decisions quickly and so don’t usually get bogged down in the details. They’re often good at implementing systems to streamline projects and processes, and will many times assume a leadership role just to get things moving. NEGATIVE ASPECTS:Characters with this trait can grow frustrated with people who lack their speed and proficiency. Likewise, friends who don’t work as quickly might bristle under an efficient character’s impatience or annoyance. These characters can be so focused on finishing that they don’t pay close attention to detail and end up sacrificing quality for time. EXAMPLE FROM FILM:The futuristic robot fromThe Terminatoris systematic and efficient in finding and hunting down Sarah Connor and her son. Emotionless and ruthless, the cybernetic organism uses all its resources to stay on task and execute its mission of terminating its targets.Other Examples from Film and TV:Harold Crick (Stranger than Fiction), Aaron Hotchner (Criminal Minds), Special Agent Cho (The Mentalist) TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:compulsive, flaky, insecure, scatterbrained, self-destructive, verbose, whiny, wishy-washy CHALLENGING SCENARIOS FOR THE EFFICIENT CHARACTER: PLOTLINE: Being friends with someone who is lazy and unmotivated PLOTLINE: Being surrounded by people who constantly whine and complain PLOTLINE: Letting someone important down because one sacrificed quantity for quality PLOTLINE: Being so overcommitted that one is forced to cut corners to complete one’s assignments PLOTLINE: Having to rely on unreliable people PLOTLINE: Being in a relationship with someone who is emotionally needy