Work smart, not hard and find success anywhere
If you work smart and hard but you are doing something wrong, your hard work will turn out to be meaningless and will be wasted. By having a goal in mind and knowing how to get there, you are setting yourself up for success. Working smart means having an outline of your most important priorities and going through the necessary research. Working smart is working efficiently; you are wasting less energy and have more free time left to accomplish other tasks.
Work smart, not hard. It’s not about the job you do, but how you do it. Would you dig a hole with your bare hands if a shovel were nearby?
Work Smart, Not Hard. Use the Tools Available at Your Disposal to Finish Something as Quickly and Efficiently as Possible
The tools you use could include your mind as well. Make things simple and convenient for yourself through planning and organization.
First Thing’s First
Prioritize your most meaningful tasks first and before you start, take the time to plan out everything that needs to be done. You should have an outline in mind in order to avoid repeating the same thing over again or forgetting something.
Working smart means having a plan beforehand to ensure you are at your best. It’s better to be over-prepared than underprepared.
One at a Time
Don’t overcommit and step beyond your possibilities. Keep your schedule reasonable and learn to say no to people every once in a while. Multitasking can become a dangerous balancing act and before you know it you will be biting off more than you can chew. You must always remember your top priorities when thinking about taking on a new task.
Keep Flexible
Be prepared to change your plans at any time. Things do not always go as planned, so be flexible in order to adapt to change. Change can feel uncomfortable at first, but you will never know if the change will be good or bad unless you give it a shot. Part of working smart is being able to adapt to the ever-changing world, so stay vigilant and ready for anything.
Always Choose the Most Convenient Method
When it comes to convenience and the means of accomplishing your goals in life, don’t skimp out on the quality of your tools. If a computer is important for your lifestyle, invest a bit more in a quality product. It will last longer and cause you less frustration. The few extra hundred dollars are well worth the few hundred hours of inconvenience saved. The time you save using better tools is what counts and the computer will pay for itself very quickly.
By paying a little extra for convenience you save yourself the hassle and frustration of using an inefficient method to complete that important job.
Quality over Quantity
For maximum efficiency and productivity, it is better to own one of everything instead of many different types of the same thing. For convenience, you should buy only one thing at a time, when you need it. That way, you place more importance on the one item that you have and maximize its utility. Keeping one good tool instead of many average ones means you have less to think about and you are less likely to forget something.
Take Shortcuts
Do things the easy way and take shortcuts when possible. The key to being able to work smart not hard is keeping your life as simple as possible. When you have a task that you do regularly for a while, try to find ways to save time by shortening the process. Do some research and come up with alternative ways to do the same thing in a different way. Take extra time to find shortcuts for everything in your life. If you take the same route every day, look for the shortest one with the least hassle. It’s all about learning how to get from point A to point B in a straight line. Apply that to every aspect of your life and you’ll be working smart.
Eliminate Distractions
Working smart means eliminating all distractions, both physical and mental. Being disorganized and having clutter around you add unnecessary stress. Having your mind, living space, and working space clear and free of distractions will maximize your attention to important tasks. In a perfect world you could eliminate all distractions, but that’s not always the case for some of us. Do the best you can to make things as hassle-free as possible.
Don’t let those minor irritations get the best of you. Cut them off at the source and free your mind from worry.
Don’t Procrastinate
Overcome procrastination and become more productive by having things in your schedule to look forward to. For instance, you could have a night out on Friday, a friend’s birthday party on Saturday, and a relaxing day to watch movies on Sunday. By having fun things to look forward to, you can prioritize the time you have to accomplish your most important tasks. You will be less distracted if you have a clear goal in mind and reward yourself at the end of the day.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Downtime
Smart work means getting adequate rest and relaxation. To become more productive, you need time off to prevent your mind and body from wearing down. Skipping sleep to have more time is not recommended. You are sacrificing health and being able to operate at 100% for a few extra hours. The way rest and relaxation helps you recover after a hard workout is the same as they help you recover your mental health. Sleep repairs the neurons in your brain.
After a hard day of thinking critically, you need sleep in order to be ready to take on the world the next day. Your mind grows and becomes stronger after a night of adequate sleep. Know when to call it a day to be at 100% capacity as often as possible.
Taking Breaks
Working smart means knowing when to take breaks. Don’t take breaks when you feel at the top of your game. When you are “in the zone” everything you do and say is flowing smoothly and relaxed. This is the time to get the most done. You can’t always feel at your best, so take breaks in between the low points. If you feel mentally or emotionally exhausted, take a short vacation and focus on something else for a while to recharge. When you’re so tired that it’s taking you twice as long as usual to do something, you should take a break.
