If you are a busy entrepreneur or a professional, you may often have faced situations where you have too much to do with too little time. No matter how hard you work, you still have the same amount of work and the same limited time. When this happens, your focus should not be on working hard, but managing your time better i.e. working smart.
Using your remaining work hours efficiently can help you perform your tasks without stressing you out. When you work smart, you are in control, making you more secure and productive in your role and giving you better outputs. You are also more satisfied with your job and personal life and less stressed. Here are some simple ways you can use your limited hours to work efficiently.
Plan for the big picture
When you are caught up completing individual tasks, it is often hard to visualize the big picture. Instead of getting too bogged down in the details, take a step back to evaluate your overall progress in the project. Are you giving too much time to a particular task and not enough for others? Strike a balance between different tasks that will help you accomplish them on time. Once you have the big picture, plan what’s remaining. Make a list of tasks, priorities and review them regularly to stay on track.
Prioritize well
If you want to get most of your checklist done, start with the big-ticket items. When you tackle and complete the most important tasks first, you have a lot more time to focus on the little things. Additionally, finishing the critical tasks in the beginning can take the edge off the rest of the day, allowing you to work at your own pace. Apply the 80/20 rule wherever possible and get the most out of your effort. When you can get 80% of your results with only 20% of your effort, you know you are working smartly.
Delegate and set deadlines
No matter how efficient you think you are, sometimes you just cannot complete all the tasks by yourself. A little teamwork and delegation can help you get the big picture right. It’s not about you finishing the work yourself, but ensuring that the tasks are completed on time. Pass certain aspects of your project to your subordinates and divide the work fairly. If you are having trouble with your personal and professional life, get help. Hire a nanny and a gardener and get your colleagues to help you out on a difficult task. Teamwork always wins.
Learn to focus and then break it!
No matter how hard you try, you cannot put your full concentration throughout the day. Eventfully, you will feel exhausted or even burnout. The smartest way to getting around this is to assign specific hours for work and play. Ensure that for a fixed number of hours a day, you are not disturbed and when you get away from your workstation, you do not think about it until you get back. Only when you break down your day into small doable pieces, you can achieve your goals.
