7 Ways to Work Smarter than Others That You Should Pay Attention to ...

One of the easiest ways to work smarter and not harder is by setting some clear and well-defined goals in order to know which thing is a priority and which is not, so you can postpone those tasks that are not so important. Just set some concrete, measurable, achievable and reasonable goals and also, set a time frame for completing them. Just like Milton Erickson, the famous hypnotherapist, said: “A goal without a date is just a dream.”

Sometimes it’s really hard to stay focused and take care of your tasks, since there are a lot of things that can distract you. No matter how hard you try not to pay attention to them, you just can’t seem to stick to your schedule. Despite all that you shouldn’t give up, because most times what gets scheduled gets done. Just organize your work daily and try to accomplish all your tasks, so you will be able to manage your time more efficiently.

You don’t need to be perfect to be successful, so don’t stress yourself out because just like Tim Kehl said, “Perfectionism often leads to micro-managing, poor relationships with co-workers, procrastination, low productivity, depression, stress and anxiety.” Sometimes being a perfectionist can even prevent you from achieving your goals, so try to avoid obsessing over every little detail and focus on the bigger picture instead.

Even though you think that you are the only one who can do all those things well, try not to let yourself be influenced by this false belief and learn to delegate. There are still a few things that will need your personal attention but there are others that can be done perfectly by other people, so why not give them the chance to help you? This way, you won’t feel overloaded or over-stressed and you’ll get things done more quickly, so you’ll have more time for yourself.

You can’t be productive if you don’t eat right or get enough sleep. If you want to learn how to work smarter, then you should definitely pay attention to what and when you are eating and also, you shouldn’t forget to get at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night. Drink enough water, so you won’t feel dehydrated and lose your ability to focus! Don’t skip on any meals and eat healthy! Try to exercise a bit every day, so you’ll feel more energized and relaxed, since exercising reduces stress and it increases your well-being.

Try to avoid distractions when you are working, no matter how tempting they might be. Just don’t lose your concentration and learn how to avoid procrastination! There are a lot of distracting websites out there, especially social media sites that can really affect your productivity, so try to not visit them during your work hours and focus on your tasks. Just eliminate all distractions when you work and take fewer and smaller breaks, so you can recharge your batteries.

Sometimes you just need to say no in order to be more productive and work smarter, not harder. If you don’t do it, you will only feel overwhelmed or even stressed out. It’s okay to help people with their tasks from time to time, but when you are too busy and you can barely take care of your own, then it’s best to just speak up and say no.

By doing all these little things I mentioned above, you’ll be able to get more things done more quickly with less effort and you won’t feel so exhausted or stressed out anymore. Do you know any other useful tips on how to work smarter, not harder? Do you have any advice you can give us on this matter? Please tell us in the comments section!

Sources: lifehack.org, psychologytoday.com, dumblittleman.com, readersdigest.ca, legalcareers.about.com, business2community.com