Some people seem to perform repairs effortlessly. They never repeat a step, lose a part, or break something else during the repair. Others seem to have difficulty, taking longer and making mistakes. Why the difference?
Here are some tricks of the trade you might use to improve your repair efficiency:
- Wear a headlamp for close-up work. You can pick up an LED version online or at any retail store.
- Use magnets. Various magnetic tools and accessories can aid your work. These range from wrench clips to magnetic pick-up wands.
- Think the job through. Seasoned pros don’t just start taking things apart. They assess the problem and map out the steps to fix it. They make a list (mentally or otherwise) of what tools, parts, and supplies they will need to fix the problem.
- Protect surfaces. Professional car mechanics always use a fender cloth. For an electrician, things are a bit different but the concept is the same. Also, if working over a grating, be sure to put down a tarp or similar barrier because you’re bound to drop something during the repair.
- Document before and after. And take pictures!
