3 Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder

By Chelsea Babin

The work smarter not harder buzz is growing and curious professionals everywhere want to know how they can jump on the bandwagon. After all, who doesn’t want to get home at a reasonable hour and feel like they were productive as can be? If you’re looking to work smarter not harder, try these 3 methods!

1. Tackle Tough Tasks on Friday: We all have some tasks that are more challenging than others and often, when we complete those tasks, we have a few days of smooth sailing ahead of us. Because of that, you should try to tackle tough tasks on Friday. This will help you set up your Mondays for more flexible schedules, success, and assurances that you can get home at a more reasonable hour throughout the next week.

2. Break Reminders: By now you’ve probably read plenty of articles that prove the benefits of taking regular breaks throughout your workday but that doesn’t mean you’ve successfully worked them into your schedule. It’s time for more drastic measures! Set an alarm or find a break buddy in the office who will keep you accountable for taking a 15-minute break at least once every two hours. Taking the time away from what you’re working on may seem detrimental but it actually helps clear your head, helps you work faster, and lets you be more productive throughout the day.

3. Avoid Your Desk At Lunch: Whether you have lunch plans with a client or coworker or you simply want to spend your lunch walking a few laps around your building, make sure you avoid your desk at lunch. When you have lunch at your desk it may confuse coworkers into thinking you’re working or confuse your brain into picking up a task or two while you eat. Take your lunch break seriously if you’re serious about working smarter.

In an age where productivity expectations are always increasing, it’s easy to see why so many people are regularly going above and beyond the 40 hour work week mark. But, instead of working longer hours, you need to learn how to work smarter! Use these 3 methods to work smarter, not harder and you’ll find that you’re more productive than ever and less prone to burning out on the job!