Most of the equipment I operate is for pipeline construction purposes, so it is a little different but there are things that are similar in all situations.
I agree with everything said above, especially the stuff about taking care of equipment. Many of our guys fail to understand that, you cannot get them to keep their machine greased, drive me nuts. Then they just trash the machine and if something is broken they don't tell anyone unless it means they can't use it. Went to use our telehandler the other day and noticed the fuel cap was gone, they had put tape over where the fuel cap goes.
Anyways something I have figured out, when doing something like digging a long trench or ditch, make every movement count. You don't have to operate as fast as the machine will go but each time you get a load in the bucket make sure its full and move smoothly rather than fast. When you’re doing something that is extremely repetitive like digging a ditch every second counts. When take an extra 4 or 5 second every time you fill and dump your bucket that adds up over a 10 hour day. Same thing with any other piece of equipment: motor grader, dozer, backhoe or whatever. Just because you can run the motor grade at 10 mph doesn’t mean you are getting more work done necessarily. Hopefully you can understand what I am saying.
Something I have notice people doing that drives me nuts is using the extending stick on a backhoe when it is not necessary, not only does it slow you down but it is hard on the equipment where we are (lots of rock and very hard ground). I'm not saying not to use it buy why use it when you don't have to.
Pay attention to you equipment while you are running it, the sounds it make, how it is running, the gauges and everything else about it. We had a guy knock the oil filter off one of our backhoes never knew it till the engine locked up. So much money and time can be saved just by paying a little attention to your equipment.
Well I'm sure I could fill a few page with what I have learned over the year but don't want to waste everyone’s time, y'all probably know everything I do and more but hopefully I can help someone out a little.