We all fall in “work harder and harder” trap. But is that enough? Is that efficient? Working harder may seem difficult but it is easy. Anyone can stress themselves for a couple of hours more and try to finish the work for the sake of doing it. But did anyone of you think to work smarter than harder? Working smarter can prove to be life-changing as you develop a new outlook for a particular task or work. Finishing the work is something we all can do, but completing the same work smartly and innovatively is something that only a few can accomplish.
If you feel that you work hard then here are the 5 ways to help you work smarter and not harder:
1- Take more breaks.
Famous author of the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen Covey tells a story about a woodcutter who’s saw gets more blunt as time passes and he continues cutting. Instead, if the woodcutter would stop, sharpen his saw first and go back to cut the tree with a shaper blade, then he would have saved time as well as efforts. Just by taking breaks frequently can prove to be a good start.
Taking breaks throughout the day can help restore your attention span and keep your brain relaxed. If you have lots of work to do, try answering a phone call or a message or e-mail to give your brain a rest from the hard work.
2- Take naps.
Taking naps is one of the most efficient ways to boost your brain’s function. Nap helps us in learning process by taking in and retaining the information/knowledge better.Research shows that naps leads to improvement in cognitive function, creative thinking and enhances memory performance. It also helps our body from exhausting. One study shows that participants did extremely well in recalling memory than those who didn’t sleep at all.
3- Spend time in nature.
Spending time in nature is a superb way to relax your brain and restore your focus. Research shows that students have a higher motivation to learn when they are surrounded by nature rather than classroom walls. I can imagine how refreshing would it be to have lectures outside the lecture halls. Daniel Goleman, author of Focus: The Hidden Power of Excellence suggest spending time in nature helps to restore our attention spans and helps us focus for longer hours when we return to work.
4- Move around and work in blocks.
Always break down your tasks into smaller to-dos. Make proper sections and time for that tasks. Breaking your work into chunks can help you relax your mind in the midst and refresh your brain as you can have breaks in between. If the work is huge, break it down into first sections and then finalize at least 3 tasks in that sections to be achieved. If you develop this approach, your productivity will be boosted,definitely.
5- Check your mail, first thing in the morning.
If you work with any freelancer or if you have outsourced a section of your work, checking your email is the first and foremost thing you should do. It becomes difficult to manage if you have an international team working with you as you may be asleep while they are working. Therefore, checking emails first thing in the morning are a very good way to ensure that you are on the same page as everyone else. It can help you as you can ensure whether something will be added to your today’s work or you can go ahead with the tasks planed for the day.
As an entrepreneur, I feel it’s more like working smarter than harder if you really want to make your own mark. This may not be helpful for all but it can surely help to change your approach towards “finishing the work”. Try to use these in your day to day life and you shall witness the change.
– Vatsal Doshi
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