In this article you will learn 15 strategies to learn how work smart and why you should.
Has it happened to you that during your workday, at times you feel full of energy, motivated and very productive, but soon after you find it difficult to maintain your concentration, you get easily distracted and lose focus on the things you are doing?
Also read: How many hours do I need to sleep to function at 100%
It is likely that you are full of things to do and divide your time between your work, a new project, studies and/or family.
But, how to stop being in “work-mode” and have time for other things?
The solution is simple: It’s called work smart.
How to work smart.
1. Take breaks every 90 minutes.
Stephen R. Covey in his book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” recounts how a lumberjack’s chainsaw dulls from use.
If this same woodcutter would stop from time to time to make sure that it kept its edge; in the long run he would be saving time and effort by making his job more efficient.
In practical terms, what this story wants to tell us is that in real life, to achieve better results it is necessary to preserve and improve the best asset we have: ourselves.
This means having a “self-renewal” program in four areas of your life:
- Physical.
- Social-emotional.
- Mental.
- Spiritual.
Remember, give your activities a break.
Additionally, studies show that we experience an ultradian rhythm every 90 to 120 minutes (varies with each person), these are natural body cycles that occur at intervals of less than 24 hours.
Do you remember the last time you were working hard, you felt energized, productive, but after an hour and a half or two hours you started to lose concentration and get distracted more easily?
The answer to these behaviors is in the cycles. This decrease in energy means that if we are reading a book, at the end of these cycles, we will find ourselves reading the same paragraph over and over again without making sense of it.
When this happens we realize that we must stop and take a break until we regain our attention and concentration.
Also read: 5 ways to stay focused for longer.
2. Prioritize and plan tasks.
Before starting any work, first make sure of all the things you must do.
This will allow you to plan more wisely, since you will have decided in advance the details of each activity to make better use of your time.
One way to do this is to have a list in your head, or preferably on paper, of all the tasks to be done.
Stop and think carefully which tasks are urgent, which are more important than others, and approximately how long it will take you to complete them.
If you have a new task to do, add it to the list and decide where it belongs and when it should be done. Remember that important tasks are different from urgent ones.
We recommend this method of planning.
3. Avoid distractions, exercise your “concentration muscle”.
According to Daniel Goleman in his book “Focus: The Hidden Driver Excellence”, distractions originate in two ways:
- Sensory pathways: which include the things that are happening around you
- Emotional distractions: which include your internal dialogues and thoughts about things that happen in your life.
If you’re feeling emotional about something, you know how hard it is to block out this kind of distraction.
Goleman explains that this happens for a reason; when something bothers us, our brain is constantly trying to find a solution so we don’t have to worry about it anymore.
Unfortunately, blocking this quest doesn’t help us focus more. On the contrary, it will make it so that we cannot abandon these thoughts until we have a plan of action.
So, what is the solution?…Exercise your concentration muscle.
Like our physical muscles, our concentration muscle must be exercised.
Keep in mind that he also gets fatigued when he is overworked, so trying to do a lot in a very short time leads to mental fatigue.
Next we will look at 12 other strategies to work smart, but first, we would like to ask you a favor. Simply vote from 1 to 5, to see how you have found this article so far. Thank you!
Let’s continue…
4. Meditate before working.
There are many benefits of meditation, among them is mental clarity after meditating.
If you have a clear mind, you will avoid emotional distractions. And therefore, you will optimize your time and you will be able to work smart.
5. Set daily goals.
When you set daily goals, it’s easier to stick with them until you’re done. In addition, daily goals serve as motivation.
If you prefer not to set daily goals, it is easier for you to drift. And therefore, it is more likely that you will not advance as much.
6. Automate.
Automating activities will allow you to multiply time. Everything you need to know is found in this article.
7. Eliminate stress.
When you learn how to manage stress, you have a better chance of learning how to work smart; since you directly attack emotional distractions.
In addition, your body will be in a better condition to work more concentrated.
8. Delegate.
It is important to accept that we cannot do everything on our own. Therefore, if possible, we must lean on other people. That’s called delegating.
Click here to learn how to delegate in 5 steps.
9. Shorten your meetings.
Unproductive meetings are like a virus in every company. Even in the independent ones. They can invite you to meetings where they don’t need you!
And let’s assume you must attend. It is very likely to find disorganized meetings that all they do is become a waste of time.
Knowing how to plan effective meetings will allow you to learn how to work smart.
10. Do one thing at a time.
The “multitasking” is one of the biggest lies that exists.
It is proven that doing several things at once, only means doing several things wrong. And it happens because of something called attention residue.
11. Calm down and think before you act.
When we think about working, the first thing that comes to mind is effectiveness. And to achieve it, we must be very aware of what we are going to do; before you start doing it.
This is why it is important to think before acting. In this way we better articulate our thoughts and we can work intelligently.
12. Learn to say “No”.
It may be out of pity or fear with the boss that we make the mistake of saying “yes”.
For example. Imagine that you already have enough work and your boss comes to ask you to do a report that is not your responsibility to do.
The first instinct is to say yes. He’s your boss and you don’t want him to think you’re not a good fit on his team.
However, doing so will have an even more negative effect. And it is that due to the accumulation of work, your productivity will decrease, and as a result, you will be an employee who does not meet his goals.
13. Use technology.
There are different applications that help you maintain your concentration and productivity at the top.
Don’t be afraid to use them. Many are free or offer trial periods.
14. Make money work for you.
If you are an employee, you will understand the deal you made with your employer: You are trading your time for money. As simple as that.
In this way, you must, yes or yes, give your time to receive money. But what if the money will come without having to work 8 hours a day?
One way to do this is by investing. Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors, shares his 7 techniques to invest money well.
15. Create a routine.
Have you seen that Mark Zuckerberg, one of the founders of Facebook, always wears a black t-shirt?
He says he does it so he doesn’t waste time thinking about what to wear. This same thing happens when you create a routine.
If you know that 4pm to 5pm is when you answer emails, you don’t have to think about what you’re going to do at that time. If you get up early every day and exercise, you won’t wonder what to do as soon as you get up.
So create a routine, follow it and modify it when you consider it necessary.
Conclusion.
To learn how to work so Smart has many advantages. And best of all, we can achieve it through simple strategies.
I hope this information is of great help and that you make all your days the best of all 🙂
And remember, if you are really interested in creating your own business, you can read our book “How to create a company while working: Discover how to manage your time, manage your money and motivate yourself while creating a company and working for another” , where you will find all the information you need to found your own company, without having to leave your job.
