How do you check your work efficiently?

I think one of the best ways to locate mistakes is have someone else go over your work. Since you created this work, you're more familiar with the things on it which tends to cause you to overlook particular mistakes, especially simple ones. So, just ask someone to go over it or read it to check for mistakes and make sure everything sounds good. My older is always asking me to go over his essays just to make sure everything makes sense. Of course, being a fickle for spelling and grammar, I tend to check that too, anyway.

When I was younger, I often hear people say you (if this is written work) that you should read it backwards. I don't remember exactly why this is suppose to help, but I think it's suppose to be able to locate spelling mistakes easier.

I agree with Strikezero. Someone else is apt to notice mistakes that you might miss. I do this with my writing sometimes, and it's really effective.

Another trick it to read it aloud, slowly enough to catch mistakes.

Karen