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💤 The Lazy Analyst’s Workflow
How to Save Hours and Still Deliver Better Insights
Most analysts confuse busyness with productivity.
They write long SQL queries.
Tweak dashboards no one opens.
Spend hours cleaning data.
And still — their reports often get ignored.
The fix?
Be a little “lazy.”
Not careless. Efficient.
🧠 The Problem
Too much energy goes into the wrong tasks:
Manual cleanup
Endless formatting
Chasing “perfect” dashboards
The result: burnout and forgotten reports.
✅ The 5-Step Lazy Workflow
Step 1: Reuse Before You Write
Save and reuse queries, visuals, and functions.
👉 Example: a Notion SQL “cheat sheet” that covers 60% of requests.
Step 2: Automate the Boring Stuff
Use Power Query, Python, or AI tools to clean and format.
👉 Example: a 3-hour Excel cleanup became a 12-second refresh.
Step 3: Start With the Decision
Always ask: What decision will this support?
👉 Example: A sales report focused only on product profitability. No extra noise.
Step 4: Use Templates
Keep 2–3 report/dashboard templates ready.
👉 Example: a Power BI template with pre-styled filters and KPI cards.
Step 5: Pre-Answer Questions
Add short notes that explain anomalies.
👉 Example: “Profit drop in March due to discount campaign.” Saved 3 meetings.
🧘 Bonus: Use AI as Your Assistant
AI can:
Rewrite SQL
Summarize CSVs
Suggest KPIs
Explain DAX in plain English
Less overhead. More focus on business logic.
💥 Results
6–10 hours saved weekly
Faster reports with fewer revisions
Stakeholders who trust your insights
More thinking, less firefighting
📣 Final Thought
Lazy ≠ careless.
Lazy = smart systems.
Next time someone calls your workflow lazy — smile.
You know better.
👉 You’re not lazy. You’re efficient.
📊 What’s your best time-saving trick? Reply and share.
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