10 Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder

Working hard has long been considered the path to success.

Hard work is equated with increased financial gain and personal achievements.

It is true that these things can be gained as a result of hard work and focus.

However, adopting smarter working practices can help you reach these goals more
efficiently.

Working smarter involves optimizing the way you work. There are many strategies that
can help you manage the way you work.

Adopting even a few of the ideas outlined in this article could greatly benefit your
productivity and results.

Working smarter means you can accomplish your tasks more quickly and using less effort.

Remember that being busy does not necessarily mean you will achieve a lot. It can lead to
overwhelm, exhaustion and a lack of balance in life.

Working smarter includes improving your skills of prioritization and focus. This means that
unnecessary tasks are avoided, and work is completed quickly with less effort.

Smarter working implies that your life will be improved as a result of different working
practices.

Learning some strategies to increase productivity will enable you to manage your home,
work and social life more effectively.
This article outlines the benefits of working smarter. It provides 10 proven strategies to
implement in your daily life.

Benefits of Smart Work

There are many reasons why working smarter is beneficial. Here are just some of the
positive gains:

Increased Efficiency

Efficiency relates to the quality of work you produce. If you are working smarter, you will
create a better quality of work.

This means that you will complete the most amount of work with the least waste. This
includes time, money, resources or energy.

Improved Productivity

Productivity relates to the quantity of work produced. By working smarter, not harder,
you will complete a greater number of tasks during the day.

This could mean that you achieve all the tasks expected of you during a working day. It
might also mean that you can tick more things off your general to-do list.

Valued Employee

By consistently performing well at work, you will be regarded as a valuable employee.

Your work ethic will be praised, and you may be considered for promotion.
Your motivation and focus will be appreciated by your employer. This can guarantee
increased job security.

Better Focus

Working smarter improves your concentration. Once you have implemented efficient
strategies, you will be able to focus more fully on your daily tasks.

Having a better focus will build up your momentum and help to produce a better quality of
work.

Reduced Burnout

Working harder can lead to exhaustion. It is important to prioritize some downtime in

your day.

Working smarter will reduce burnout as you are not struggling to achieve too much in a
short amount of time. You will feel more relaxed and have more energy.

Stress Reduction

Striving to do more and more work can be stressful. It can lead to anxiety and worry
about your job performance.

Working smarter will reduce your stress. Time and energy-saving techniques will help you
to feel more relaxed and confident that you can complete your daily tasks.

Work-Life Balance

Having a good work-life balance is essential to your mental health. Feeling under
pressure to work harder can also have a negative effect on your relationships.
Working smarter brings this back into balance and increases happiness. It gives you extra
time to devote to other aspects of your life.

You will be able to spend more time with family and friends. You will also have more
energy to focus on your hobbies and interests outside of work.

10 Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder

1. SMART Targets

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timed.

Specific – Make your goal specific so you can visualize the outcome
Measurable – How you measure the success of the goal
Achievable – It needs to push you without being unattainable
Relevant – It should be meaningful and contribute to your overall aim
Timed – Set a time frame for you to achieve the goal

This framework is used to reach a SMART goal.

For example, perhaps you want to increase interaction in team meetings. This is a goal,
but it is not a SMART goal.

Writing this as a SMART target might look like this:

For the next eight team meetings, I will focus on increasing the amount
of staff engagement. I will email reminders in advance to all staff
outlining my expectations. Dedicated time in each meeting will
 encourage the contribution and sharing of ideas. This means I can
discover the business ideas of each team member.

Setting SMART targets helps focus your intention. You can determine precisely what
you want to achieve.

This strategy is useful for gaining precise clarity and a growth mindset. It removes
confusion and defines a clear way to move forward.

2. Chunking, Not Multitasking

Multitasking clutters your mind leaving you unable to fully focus on one specific job.
Flitting between tasks and projects usually means that less is achieved overall.

It takes time for your brain to adjust to each task as you switch between them.

It can reduce focus on important tasks, and these priority items can be forgotten about.

Instead, it is wise to manage one task at a time. An alternative approach, chunking,

involves setting aside chunks of your day where you will dedicate time to one particular
task.

For example, perhaps you need to respond to customer inquiries. For the next half an
hour, this is the only task you should focus on.

Don't allow any distractions or disturbances for this time. This might mean shutting your
office door or moving to a quieter location.

When the time is up, move on to another task for a set amount of time.
This approach means your brain can easily focus on the job. You will complete the work
with attention to detail and less strain.

3. Work in Rhythm With Your Body

Everyone has a different internal body clock. Note the times you feel most energized
and the most tired throughout the day.

Link the types of tasks with your daily rhythm. Try and group similar tasks.

If you need to make many phone calls, write emails or organize paper files, deal with
these in one block of time.

You will be motivated to complete these faster. This will create a sense of achievement.

Plan your day so that analytical tasks are completed when you feel most energized.

Similarly, schedule more creative thinking tasks to times when you are not as focused.

If you are the most alert first thing, do the tasks that require the most brainpower. It would
be a mistake to do this type of task after lunch when you feel like you need a nap.

Don't sacrifice your health and wellbeing. Get adequate sleep and eat a nourishing diet.

Being aware of your needs will ensure that you can look after yourself. You will be able to
fulfill expectations and accomplish your best.

4. Prioritize
Taking the simplest task first can seem like an easy option. This is a problem if the easiest
task then overshadows a bigger project.

Decide which tasks can wait and which ones are urgent. Then tackle the one that
needs doing soonest first.

Start longer projects at the start of the working day. This means you are fresh and
performing at your best

Each morning, prioritize your top three tasks. Do this by defining which ones will
generate the biggest impact for yourself or your work.

Don't move on to other tasks until you have achieved these. Quicker tasks that don't
require analytical thought are best completed at the end of the day.

Review your work schedule daily or weekly and see how you are benefitting. Then
implement any necessary changes to your method.

10 Ways To Work Smarter, Not Harder