Work smarter, not harder
Have you ever heard the saying?
Work smarter, not harder
Yes…I bet you did.
But what does it really mean?
The phrase Work smarter, not harder means to find a better way of working so you don’t exhaust yourself… It doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard. Not a dig to someone’s intelligence or hard work.
Why break your back, when you can find an easier way to get the job done…?
Have you ever though that you could be more efficient? Over time you developed habits to do thigs your way even though there are easier ways…
Whether in work or life, most of us strive to accomplish more in less time. Agree?
Wouldn’t it be nice to do all the tasks much quicker? Wouldn’t it be great to save time and energy? How can you spend less time while achieving more?
How you can work less and earn more?
Smart work is much better than hard work, it saves your energy and time and gives better results.
But seriously….
how to work smarter, not harder? What’s in it for you?
Read on to become a smart ass…
As you sit there and read the article you start to feel empowered to work less and make more money.
The information you are about to discover will make you go WOW. You will shortly have lots of “light bulb” and aha moments.
This information will:
- show you how to work less and earn more
- Free-up your time
- Improve your work-life balance
- Boost your work motivation
- Remove lots of stress
By the end of this article, you feel inspired to take an action to change your life.
Your time is valuable asset, so let’s begin.
Top 10 Ways to work Smarter not Harder
Work Less and earn More:
Way #1 80/20 Rule
Have You ever heard about the 80/20 rule?
Well, if not
It says that 80 % of your results comes from 20 % of your efforts.
You have to figure out which 20 % of your efforts is effective. That means, that you could safely eliminate 80 % of what you currently do.
Wow. Isn’t this mind-blowing?…
Way #2 Delegate more
You probably also heard the “less is more” principle.
I first was sceptical about this…
But hear me out…
When we work less, often are times we are more productive. We are crazy busy running always on the go and hundreds of tabs are opened in our heads.
What happens next?
We get stressed. And then, it becomes hard to focus and we make mistakes…
The problem is
Many of us think we have to do it all ourselves. Me included.
Not only this…
We have to be good at everything. It’s like inside of us.
Can you relate? I thought so.
Asking for a help, we translate this as if we are not able to do it ourselves. We think as if we are not good enough…
But…
we live in a civilization where you can actually afford not to do it all. PERIOD.
It’s a lot we do every single day:
- Cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Cleaning the house, dishes
- Cleaning/ ironing/folding clothes
- Taking care of the kids
- Improve ourselves
- Teat your family/parents/grandparents/friends/relatives
And the list goes on…HOLY cow!!!!
That’s a lot. How to manage?
We live in the 21st century. You don’t have to do it all!!!
Because….
By doing it all yourself, you are losing money.
But, Rina How come? Sceptical?
YES! It’s not a typo! You are losing BIG money!
If you still scratching your head…
Keep reading on…
I’ll explain it all… and it will blow your socks off…
You’ll discover one of the biggest mistakes you were doing
Up until now…
If you can get a cleaner to clean your house, that charges €10 an hour and it takes 4 hours. Simple math tells me it would cost you €40.
If you’re a coach, you get more per hour. Let’s say you charge €100 per hour. So, 4 hours= €400
So that means you actually have saved €360.
WOW, I know! And by the time you finish cleaning, you are tired…Meaning you save much more that € 360. You save your energy too!
That’s a simple example, that goes to prove you don’t have to do it all yourself.
Outsource household tasks you don’t like or that takes lots of time.
In your business you are wearing lots of hats- from accounts, IT, design, website, social media, sales pages, testing etc etc…
you don’t know it all, so firstly you are learning…
and by the time you learn something- algorithms or hashtags change…grrrrr what a waste of time.
But… what’s if…
Instead, you focus on your zone of GENIUS? Do what you are the best at?
You could save tons of your precious time.
Let’s be honest.
Time is the most valuable asset, that we can never have it more….
You would have more time to spend with your loved ones instead of googling and learning endlessly…
Do you see what I mean now?
Master one skill and one skill only. Start to delegated. I bet your to-do-list is long, so start delegating tasks to others, that are good at.
Let me give you a real-life example, that will change your attitude straight away (in case it hasn’t yet).
Think about your favourite actress?
Favourite sports celeb?
They can’t do it all too. They are not able to complete all the tasks, but we love them for just one skill.
Read this again. Just One Skill. Frame it!
Because…
They focus on their zone of genius. They master one skill and ONE SKILL ONLY, instead of spreading themselves too thin. Look at all professional all around us! One skill! As it takes time, testing, lots of learning and practice.
What happens if you do it all yourself? Do you know?
It sucks your energy.
And then….
The biggest enemy of them all procrastination kicks in! We even start to sabotage ourselves!
Do not make this mistake!
When it comes building a business, trying to do everything on your own is a no-no.
You’ll waste money and your time.
It will take you decades if ever…
Mastering the art of delegation is an essential skill to become successful. But if you’re a control freak, perfectionist or micromanager, it can be difficult.
The key is understanding that the ability to delegate will make you more productive. Research showed that CEOs who delegate experience lower levels of decision fatigue, fewer burnouts. Those who delegate also generate 33% more revenue than those with low delegation skills.
Delegate tasks you hate and those that take most of your time
Think about the tasks, that sucks your time and energy the most?
What is it that you hate doing? Make a list and start delegating.
If a task is on-going and you know how to do it- then you can simply find and train that person.
How to master delegating like a boss?
- Explain what you need and expect (make a list of things he accomplished)
- establish a reporting or check-in system
So, delegate more tasks and duties both in personal life and your business.
Way #3 Focus on High-Impact Tasks
Our to-do-lists are endless… isn’t it? So, trying to complete it could be hard. Instead of trying to accomplish everything, focus on tasks that will have the greatest long-term impact. Start your day by focusing on the things that are most critical to your job performance and the company’s success.
Way #4 Batch Activities
Sort your tasks in chunks. Why? Because it improves productivity.
Read how…
For example, instead of answering every email as it comes in (reactive), schedule a time when you go, check and respond to all emails (proactive). You don’t have to check your Email every 10 minutes, right?
Instead of following up with prospects in the morning and evening, dedicate a certain time when it is most convenient for you to follow up.
You can also have this kind of schedule:
Monday. Meetings
Tuesday. Content creation
Wednesday. A promotion day (appearing on Podcasts, Radios, TV)..
You get the idea.
The logic behind this is that it takes time for you to get into a regime. If you constantly start and stop that process, you’re wasting time catching up where you left off.
Way #5 Leverage Your Internal Clock
The time of day you work on certain types of tasks impacts your productivity. There are three productivity phases over a day: peak, trough and rebound. During the hours leading up to and at our peak (usually around midday), we’re the most focused. That makes it a perfect time for analytical tasks. When we’re at our lowest point (the trough), it’s a good time to focus on creative tasks.
That’s for most of us…
But we are all different personalities…so schedule tasks based on your energy levels.
When your energy spikes- your own built-in body clock is in so called a circadian rhythm.
If you know you’re most productive right before lunch, for instance, use that time for very important tasks, that take the most of your energy. Leave easy tasks for when you’re dragging.
Way #6 Manage Your Surroundings
Minimize distractions. Very effective way to work smarter and produce better, faster results.
Because, life happens. for all of us…
So how do you minimise distractions?
Here are tips how to minimize distractions:
- hide that cell phone!
One study found that having your phone present, can make you perform 20% worse than if it was out of sight… even if you are not using it…
- Use apps like Rescuetime/StayFocusd/Freedom to block distracting websites or the internet
- Turn off all notifications
- Switch to pen and paper
Way #7 Automate What You Can
We live in the age when lots of tasks can be automated both in personal life and business.
From coffee machines and dog feeders that release food on a timer. From robots that do your lawn and clean your house. From dishwashers and the list goes on…Why not? We can save soooo much time…
- Save time by using Zapier to cut down on copy-and-paste routines
- use a tool likeTextExpander to type out snippets of text you use a lot
- Automate your E-mails
- Chatbot
- Social media scheduling
Way #8 Work in 90-120 Min blocks
Sleep researcher Nathaniel Kleitman, discovered that we operate in 90- 120minute cycles called “basic rest-activity cycles.” It means that our brain can last for about 90 minutes at optimal levels. Then our brain needs a 20-30 minutes break!
So by working 90-120 minutes and taking 30 minutes breaks in between, we can concentrate longer, avoid distractions, and maintain higher energy levels.
This is such a badass way to manage your energy productively. Follow this advice and you’ll save energy, time and will skyrocket your productivity.
We all want to manage our time. But by learning how to manage your energy, in addition to your time, your productivity will skyrocket.
Way #9 Find an Accountability Buddy
When we sharing accountability with another person it leads to higher individual performance.
So, whatever you do- find a friend, mentor, or peer to whom you can stay accountable.
It works like magic if you find a person with similar interests and goals.
Way #10 Self-Care
You are your own greatest resource. Taking care of your body and mind. It is key when you want to work smarter, not harder.
Look after yourself. Love yourself!
Stay positive, sleep 7-8 hours, exercise, and do some relaxation. And… spend time outside. There is nothing like fresh air… Recharge your batteries.
Because….
You can’t give from an empty cup….
Holy cow. Do you realise how much powerful information you have just got…?
And because I truly care about you, I also want to add
3 Tips How to Make Your Life less Stressful
- Give yourself double the time. Never promise tight deadline!
Whatever you have to do- never promise tight deadlines.
It works in business and in personal life too.
Example. Your wife asks to move your stuff and reorganise your clothes.
You think it takes 2 days, but add two more days and instead of saying:” ok I’ll finish it by Tuesday, say I’ll finish it by Thursday.
It works like magic!
You are rested and more productive. You deliver your promise earlier.
What does it mean? It means a SURPRISE!
You will have less stress and reserve of time in all your other projects. Keep expectations low and then surprise them. Otherwise, you will spend your life apologizing.
- The Benefits of MEDITATION
Look around- all successful people practice meditation. It’s a time for you. And just you. Relaxing music like the sound of waves, birds singing- creates a very relaxing atmosphere. Close your eyes, and focus on yourself. Be aware of you and just you. Feel the body and every molecule of your body. You may fall asleep, but that means that’s what your body needs. You can feel that relaxing 30 mins could be energetically more powerful than 7 hours on night sleep. (You may consider joining the professional guide).
- The POWER of change
If we constantly do everything the same, it turns into a routine. And then when we need to change something in our lives, it suddenly seems overwhelming. We get stuck and don’t do anything. We just wish, wait, and hope.
What do you do?
Make a change.
This works because it gets you unstuck and into the change mode. Take a different route to work
- Move vases and paintings around
- Change vacation destinations
- Eat in a different restaurant
- Go to a different gym
- Enjoy a walk in a different park
- Drink tea instead of coffee
- Drink green tea instead of black tea
Make any change!
Because…
If you want different results, you need to take different steps. The momentum will get you going on a roll, and before you know it, you’ll be making bigger and bigger changes relatively effortlessly.
Work less and earn more. Work smarter, not harder. The advices you have just discovered will save your precious time and energy for the most important things in your life-your health, your personal growth, your family and your relationships.
work smarter not harder quotes
“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.” –Bruce Lee
“What looks like multitasking is really switching back and forth between multiple tasks, which reduces productivity and increases mistakes by up to 50%.” –Susan Cain
“Don’t worry about breaks every 20 minutes ruining your focus on a task. Contrary to what I might have guessed, taking regular breaks from mental tasks actually improves your creativity and productivity. Skipping breaks, on the other hand, leads to stress and fatigue.” –Tom Rath
“’Tomorrow’ is the thing that’s always coming but never arrives. ‘Today’ is the thing that’s already here and never leaves. And because that’s the case, I would much prefer to invest in today than sit around waiting for an arrival that’s not arriving.”
–Craig D. Lounsbrough
“Those who seize the day become seriously rich.”
–Richard Koch
“Efficiency is doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things.” –Peter Drucker
The expert in anything was once a beginner.
If this article has helped you in any way,please write a Facebook/Google review. It’s a positive feedback and results, that inspires to create more.
Please spread the love and share this article.
Work less and earn more. Work smarter, not harder.
Rina
