Who wants to go to the trouble of driving yourself into the ground? It’s highly unlikely that anyone will raise their hand in support of such an idea! 😄
We all want to relax and unwind, but the reality is that we need to be working. To work smarter not harder, to be happy and productive.
Here are ten pointers to help you master the simple concept of smart working, so you can work smart not hard.
This isn’t to say that you should start chopping heads like the nobility of old. It means being a visionary leader with innovative ideas for getting things done while also ensuring that the process is enjoyable.
There is a definite knack when it comes to getting things done for you and you need to be able to delegate with a light touch.
Do this right and your productivity will skyrocket!
You must be the ruler once again. Treat yourself properly, but don’t fall into the trap of doing things that aren’t necessary.
Decide what requires your undivided attention and focus on it before moving on to the next high priority.
And whatever you do, DON’T be tempted to multitask; it is a productivity killer. Focus on one task at a time, and don’t be tempted to move on until that task is finished.
Have you ever witnessed someone attempting to construct a backyard deck without a blueprint? It doesn’t go smoothly does it?! 😳
Few people have the ability to complete high-priority activities without thorough planning. Following a well-thought-out plan will assist you in properly managing your time and achieving your objectives.
You know what they say, “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail!” Do not be that person!
Slow typing is inconvenient and reduces the amount of time you have to complete all of your high-priority activities.
If you are unable to type quickly, it is probably a good idea that you take a typing course to learn how to type quicker. Keyboard shortcuts can also be extremely useful, so make sure that you learn them.
Many people use speech to text software, such as the one included in Google Docs or Microsoft Word, to speed up their writing.
It’s a good idea to take breaks. Even if you’ve been working hard in short spurts or for lengthy periods of time, you still need a break.
When you’re stressed and exhausted, you’re more likely to make mistakes in your work.
Short breaks will keep your health in control, and you will be less likely to become ill and miss work.
In today’s environment, most people rely on email to communicate with others, even within their own company.
You’ll get a sense of who is available to take calls and who will never answer. Keep note of those who are responsive, and only email or text those who will either not respond or who have a tendency to become irritated.
You will find yourself completing repetitious tasks throughout the day. Put a stop to it by working smarter rather than harder.
You can programme mini-programs in your computer to handle repetitive activities for you.
Wherever feasible, look for templates. You can just load and fill in the blanks. Templates are available for download for free or for a modest cost and can be used for recurring writing or visual assignments, such as sales pages.
Set and stick to deadlines for everything, not just your top priorities. You will need to work harder if you procrastinate.
You must first work to break free from procrastination, and then you’ll need to work even harder just to catch up.
Set a firm deadline for a task and then work toward finishing it on time. Give yourself a tiny reward before getting back to work and meeting the next deadline.
You must softly but firmly communicate to family, friends, and coworkers that your time is valuable. Distractions must be avoided in order to avoid working harder.
They will steal your focus away from you, and it will be difficult to regain it.
Keep an internal punch clock in your head to keep track of time. When the job is done correctly (and smartly), punch in and out.
You must move it, a bit like that famous song from Disney. Doing all of your work in one place can lead to boredom. Use a combination of your regular work desk and a standing desk next to it.
Switching between the two will help your body stay strong and prevent you from becoming drowsy. If feasible, alternate between those and taking the laptop into an empty conference room for a while.
It will help you stay alert and concentrated if you move around. You have an endless supply of ideas for the same thing at home. There are numerous workstations, comfortable chairs, and other items that you can shift from one location to another.
As you can appreciate, working smarter not harder requires a lot of self discipline, and if that is something you struggle with (don’t we all?) then please check out the featured resource below for a free report which will help you; download, read it and take action 🙂
What scares you the most? Is it the loss of someone you care about? Is it having to go to the dentist? Perhaps you’re afraid of thunderstorms, heights, or elevators.
Fear is normal, no matter what it is. It’s how our bodies alert us that we’re in danger and that we should be cautious.
However, our concerns can sometimes become so overwhelming that they prevent us from reaching our greatest potential. They fill us with so much fear and uncertainty that we become continually concerned and anxious about the tiniest details.
As a result, we’re here today to assist you in making fear your ally. If you follow the tips below, you’ll be able to change an enemy into an ally.
If you don’t understand the mechanisms of fear, learning how to conquer it can be a daunting task. Recognize that fear is a natural evolutionary response before you chastise yourself for feeling terrified.
Your body and brain are attempting to communicate with you, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. You can permanently overcome fear if you learn to read the signals.
Let’s get started.
When we are confronted with a threat to our mental or physical well-being, our bodies go into survival mode, triggering the fight-flight-or-freeze reaction.
You’d be vulnerable to danger if you didn’t have the fear reaction. Despite this, our bodies react with dread in many instances where we are not physically threatened in the modern world.
When you’re scared, your heart will race, and your breathing will become more rapid. A “pit” in your stomach, dizziness, sweating, or a dry mouth are all possible symptoms. You can feel stiff or weak in your muscles. All of this is a result of your body sending signals to the outside world.
So, you need to…
This is perhaps the most difficult phase, but it’s well worth it. However, in order to conquer your fear, you must first come to grips with the basis of your anxiety.
Being conscious of the root reason will be challenging at first, but it will strengthen you. You won’t have to live in the shadow of that huge, overpowering fear anymore.
You’ve confronted your apprehension. It’s now time to accept it.
But first and foremost, you must recognise that such-and-such terrifies you. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. To begin, speak it aloud, preferably to another person in a natural context.
It also feels better to get it off your chest and tell the world about it. You’d be shocked at how many people are terrified of the same things you are.
Fear causes us to panic, and panic causes us to make poor decisions. Our prefrontal cortex, in fact, shuts down when we panic, according to various studies. This is the part of our brain that controls rational thought.
So, despite your anxiety and terror, you need to be able to learn to think rationally. Make terror your ally, and you’ll be able to do much more in life.
Fear, tension, and anxiety are all handled differently by people. Some people thrive under pressure and really enjoy being challenged. Others like to work at their own speed without the pressure of imminent deadlines.
Whatever method you choose, the most essential thing is to avoid allowing fear to overcome you. Let’s say you’re terrified of speaking in public. But then a colleague suddenly became ill and asked you to step in and deliver the presentation you’d been working on for weeks.
The latter will be difficult, but it will be well worth it in the end. Keep an objective mindset and remind yourself that others have given presentations before and survived to tell the tale. So, what exactly is the big deal?
Remember that your mind has a tendency to exaggerate things. So, find a strategy to cope with the tension and assess the situation. It’s the only way you’ll be able to control your anxiety and finish the work.
With a robust support system, no one has ever failed. Surround yourself with people who will motivate you to achieve your goals. These are the ones who choose to love you unconditionally despite listening to you scream about your concerns and anxiety.
A great deal of research has been done on the advantages of having a support system. It improves your self-esteem and overall well-being by giving you effective coping abilities.
Furthermore, having a strong support system can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
When you’re afraid, you’re more likely to dwell on negative ideas and feelings. Then, in your mind, things fester and grow into this huge, hideous beast that you can’t control.
You can overcome your anxieties and live to tell the tale if you think positively. All you have to do now is believe it, and the rest will take care of itself.
You can increase your comfort zone and confidence by celebrating tiny victories when confronted with fear, switching to positive self-talk, and imagining positive outcomes. People handle worst-case events significantly better than they expect, according to fear research.
Dedication to a greater cause, whether it’s a spiritual conviction, altruism, or personal ambitions, can help us overcome fear and stay on track when we’re feeling down.
It isn’t a problem if you stop thinking of it as one.
As you can appreciate, changing the way you think can have a huge impact on your life, and if you want to know more about developing an inspirational mindset for success, please click on the featured resource below for a free Strong Mindset report; download, read it and take action 😊
When you work for yourself, you need to be accountable to yourself. When you’re self-employed, you’re all you have. Unlike a day job, when you have deadlines, performance reports, and a boss to report to, you’re all you have.
Even if you have an accountability partner, you’ll have to hold yourself accountable the majority of the time. If you don’t, there’s a good chance you’ll start slacking off or postponing.
Your work-life balance will be thrown out of whack, and you’ll be continually striving to catch up at the expense of other aspects of your life.
One of the most effective strategies to hold yourself accountable is to keep a journal. Make a detailed account of your day. Did you follow through on your promises to yourself? Or did you manufacture excuses and put things off?
Staying on track requires identifying and addressing trouble areas immediately. Your work will improve, and you will have more time to relax and socialise.
A to-do list is an excellent way to keep track of your daily tasks. Write down three of the most critical chores that must be completed that day.
Your goal is to complete those three things first thing in the morning. In his book “Eat That Frog,” Brian Tracy discusses this. The remainder of the jobs will be a breeze once you’ve completed the challenging ones.
The essence of life is time. It’s a good idea to start by writing down what you’re doing every hour in a notepad. This personal time management will assist you identify where your time is going.
Seeing how many hours are wasted on minor hobbies like social networking or talking on the phone, for example, can be eye-opening.
This amount of discipline may appear to be restricting your life and not enjoyable at all. However, the opposite is true. When you’re disciplined during the workday, you get more done in less time and encounter fewer issues.
This gives you more time to do what you enjoy rather than continuously putting out fires at work.
To make the process easier and more achievable, every main goal should be broken down into smaller micro goals. Break your big aim down into smaller monthly and weekly benchmarks. Make a list of activities you need to do every day to meet that weekly goal.
It’s only a question of time before you achieve the primary objective if you meet the micro ones. This way, instead of being overwhelmed by the mountain of a goal in the distance, you’ll be focused on the task at hand.
Take time each day to praise yourself for doing a good job. You should give yourself a pat on the back to motivate yourself, just like you hold yourself accountable.
Simply assess what went wrong, pick yourself up, and keep moving forward. Every day is another opportunity to improve and enhance yourself. Don’t allow yesterday’s mistakes hold you back today.
Spillover occurs when your professional and personal lives begin to blur. In the traditional sense, this would imply that your spouse or family calls you at work.
While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with a fast 2-minute call, it is still a distraction that might throw you off your game. You want to be on the go when you’re at work.
If you receive a call from home informing you that your neighbor’s child has broken the house window while playing ball, you will be concerned. You might be casual about it or moderately irritated, depending on your personality. A person who is extremely worried may become enraged.
When you work from home, it’s even more difficult to avoid spillage. For starters, you’ll most likely be able to hear distant family members. There will be distractions even with noise cancelling headphones.
What level of overflow is acceptable?
There is no right or incorrect answer in this situation. Generally speaking, the less spillage, the better. You want to concentrate as much as possible. Let’s have a look at a few things to think about.
It’s unavoidable that your career will require more attention at times… and that your home duties will take up more of your time.
If you have a tight deadline looming, restrict your time with your family to an hour and get back to work as soon as possible. Your child may also need your assistance with a school project.
You may decide to work less and spend more time with your child during this time. There are no hard and fast rules or schedules.
All you have to do is keep your cool and remember that these are exceptions to the rule. For the most part, it’s ideal to stick to a set routine with little variation.
This is yet another delicate subject. You are unlikely to have employees if you work from home.
However, if you operate a business and are extremely close with your employees (going out for drinks with them after work), they may lose respect for you, and it will be difficult to set boundaries with them.
This is an example of spillover that has an impact on your work productivity. With your staff, you must draw boundaries.
This spillage can be frustrating and distracting if you work from home but can’t get your kids to be quiet while you’re working or if your spouse keeps nagging you to perform chores.
You may rent a modest office to work from during these hours. Working from home isn’t going to suffice. You require your personal space as well as a distraction-free workplace.
To summarise, whether you work from home or have a day job, spillover is nearly hard to avoid. The most you can do is try to keep the spillover to a minimum and discover strategies to lessen it if it becomes too much. It is possible.
Whatever you want in life will require discipline to achieve and maintaining a healthy work life balance is a small part of that. And if you want to know more about harnessing the power of self-discipline, then check out the featured resource below for a free report; download, read it and take action 🙂
Comparing yourself to other marketers can only hurt your current and future prospects. You may not have the same level of experience as the people you’re comparing yourself to, and another person’s accomplishment may not be the miraculous turnaround you think it is.
Comparisons between yourself and other marketers might lead to self-doubt. Some people appear to have the Midas touch with whatever subject they choose to work on, but you have no idea what goes on behind the scenes to achieve their success.
Successful entrepreneurs have most likely invested a significant amount of time, money, and effort into their businesses. It may appear simple, but chances are they had numerous doubts about their own ability to succeed before they started.
Comparison to others and the resulting self-doubt happens in any industry, but it’s more common in Internet marketing because you’re always putting yourself out there and promoting yourself and your ideas to other people.
If the inevitable failures are factored in, another person’s success may appear to you to be very different. Huge and consistent triumphs of others can make you feel like a loser – since someone is always generating more money or appears to be successful with every product launch.
Viewing similarities as challenges is one approach to look at things differently. “If she can do it, I know I can!” could be the adrenaline boost you need to take action and achieve your own success.
Many people who have achieved some level of success use comparisons to others to plan their future business movements and as a motivator for them. It provides quick insight to trends and what’s working for others so you can incorporate many of the same ideas for yourself.
Many types of businesses are fiercely competitive, notably Internet marketing. Examining the tactics of other marketers might be beneficial if you use them as models rather than negatively comparing yourself to them.
Self-doubt can become your worst enemy in the future. Avoid making unfavorable comparisons to others and instead concentrate on your current and future goals to achieve the success you desire.
Validation is important to your self-esteem and can help lift you to new heights. Without it, self doubt sets in and you begin to lose belief in your ability to meet your goals. A child hopefully receives validation from his or her parents.
Positive reinforcement nudges the child to reach higher and try new things. Online entrepreneurs, however, usually have to validate themselves to feel good about themselves and what they’ve already accomplished.
The explanation for this could be that few people understand how Internet marketing works and how much planning and preparation an entrepreneur needs to achieve the desired outcomes. When it comes to certifying your work, there are several options.
Although praise and gratitude may arrive unexpectedly, there are ways to celebrate yourself and your accomplishments. A gratitude diary can assist you in recognizing all of the good things that occurred throughout your day or week.
Avoid judging yourself harshly. Those are negative thoughts you don’t need and can affect your emotions and decision-making. Find the positive in what you’re accomplishing and don’t let anyone else have a part in judging you too harshly.
Ask yourself what you require right now to help you feel healthier, more motivated, or more energetic in order to achieve and exceed the goals you’ve set for yourself. Rather of rejecting or depriving yourself, try to provide what you require.
If you’re feeling down and out, your body may want some activity or correct nutrition to feel more energized. When you disregard your sentiments, it’s easy to become caught up in negative thinking and forget all of your accomplishments.
Validating oneself promotes self-esteem and maintains the belief that you can achieve everything you set your mind to. Remember that validating yourself is not the same as self-indulgence.
It’s a way to renew your spirit of entrepreneurship and carry on to reach the success you long for. You’ll gain strength and be better able to calm the negative and debilitating thoughts when you find ways to reassure yourself that you’re worthy of the success you seek and extremely able to find the path to reach it.
Criticism is sometimes difficult to manage. Constructive criticism, however well delivered, can hurt as much as the intentionally cruel criticism, but if you view both types the right way, it can be very helpful to you in your business ventures.
Some people appear to be unaffected by criticism. Others become enraged when they are chastised, which may jeopardize their final goals. The best way to deal with criticism is to strike a balance between desensitizing yourself to the point of being unfeeling – and taking it too personally to the point of being discouraged and sabotaging your efforts.
Because it isn’t done face to face, online criticism can be especially vicious. You are free to criticize with harsher words because you are not concerned about the other person’s reaction.
When someone criticizes your efforts, he may be in a foul mood and unjustly take it out on you. Your initial instinct may be to lash out at the person with your own harsh comments.
Taking a minute to think about it is the greatest approach to combat that initial reaction and avoid reacting in a way you’ll regret. Take a deep breath, take a step back, and wait until you’ve cooled down and can think more clearly before reacting.
Criticism can provide you a unique opportunity to improve – and to demonstrate to others that you have a distinct and positive perspective on criticism. It will probably surprise others when you appreciate them for their input (especially those who are severe critics).
Your attitude has the potential to change their minds and convert them into fans. You’ll feel better about yourself even if the person doesn’t respond positively to your good attitude.
It is possible to grow your business by learning from criticism. The critique may only teach you a small amount of truth, but it may motivate you to put more effort into your online efforts.
Never let the words of others result in a heap of self doubt. Take their $0.02 and apply it wherever you feel it’s worthy and then discard the rest. Stay above the fray and accept criticism with grace and diplomacy rather than giving in to your first reaction.
Criticism and self doubt affect the way you think and if you are living with doubt you need to start to think differently. If you want to know more about developing a positive success mindset, check out the featured resource below for a free report; download, read it and take action 🙂
There are several ways to measure your goals, ranging from simple to complex and free to expensive. Sometimes it makes sense to spend money on tools, but when setting goals for your own purposes, keeping it low cost makes sense.
For instance, use a spreadsheet when first starting out. Most people associate Microsoft Excel with spreadsheets, and that costs money. However, there are free alternatives, such as Open Office Calc. The Open Office suite of products is available on multiple operating systems. This software is fully functional and compatible with Microsoft products. The best part is it is free.
Sometimes, you will need more sophisticated tools. For instance, when you work on multiple projects simultaneously and there may be dependencies associated with some of the goals, you’ll need to have a better method than a spreadsheet to manage these. This is also true when you have multiple people that you need to measure their contributions to the projects.
While you could use spreadsheets for this, they are not meant for collaborative activities. The reporting features are lacking in a spreadsheet program. A program such as Microsoft Project gives you more control over these types of features.
Keep in mind the tool should not be used as a means to run the projects for you. They have their uses, but the responsibility rests with you, or the project manager. Also, you have to consider some flexibility in the measurement as not every item will go according to plan. You may need to make some adjustments along the way.
Being too rigid with the plan can cause problems within a team. Strict adherence to a tool will make the projects rigid, by definition. On the other hand, you do need some ways to accurately measure the goals. It’s a delicate balance that requires compassion as well as firmness.
When choosing a tool, try to get your team involved, so they know what to expect. This isn’t always possible as some companies already have solutions implemented. If this is the case, you will need to manage the expectations of the team and provide any training and assistance needed to make the tool work for them.
Your manager determines what course you are to take. This is based on organizational goals or tasks that he or she has been given. Many managers are not adept at setting goals for themselves, let alone for other people. This can lead workers astray and is something that SMART goals can help with.
If your manager is not familiar with the concept, try to become an advocate. This is going to require you learning what it’s all about. It’s not a bad idea to take some training on the concept. There are courses available online, and you can start by searching for the term on YouTube.
Keep in mind that YouTube videos can be posted by anyone, so make sure you scrutinize the videos carefully. If someone sounds like they don’t know what they are talking about, move on to another one.
If your manager is not initially on board, you may need to take the initiative and start using the concept for your own goal setting. It’s much easier to convince people when you are successful with the concept. Trying to convince them from a purely theoretical perspective is not as effective. Managers want results and are afraid to try something that is not proven in their minds.
You may need to negotiate to position your ideas in a positive light. For instance, you can suggest that by setting goals using a SMART framework, you can get more done. Therefore, tell your manager you are willing to take on more responsibility to prove out the concept to him or her.
If your manager is not yet ready to accept this concept, at least you have planted the seeds. It’s likely he or she will look up the concept online based on you suggesting the idea. This will create an atmosphere of familiarity. When you bring it up again sometime in the future, your manager will be more receptive to the idea because it’s not a foreign concept.
One last means of getting manager buy-in is to document your experience with it. For instance, you could set up a journal and show how you used the framework to get your personal goals accomplished. It’s difficult to argue with success when it is recorded for your manager to read.
Having tips about SMART goals is great. However, sometimes it helps to solidify the concept by describing some applications of its use, which are described here. For clarification, the acronym is taken to stand for, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Based.
Exercise Program
Goal: To work out every day for 20 minutes per day and achieve a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 20. I will use the X System to attain that goal.
Explanation: The specific part of the goal is to achieve the Body Mass Index of 20. It is measurable as I can take a BMI reading throughout the period to compare. It may be attainable, assuming I believe in the X System or have used it before. It is realistic in that if I go to the gym and the assumptions are true, I will reach the goals. For time-based, I have given it three months and 20 minutes per day.
Save for College
Goal: To save $50 per month in a 521 account and continue to do this until my child is ready for college as the cost of college keeps rising.
Explanation: Based on historical trends, college costs rise every year. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that they will continue to rise. The specific goal is to use a 521 account, which in the United States, allows for tax breaks when saving for college. My bank statements will allow me to measure whether I am saving enough each month and make the necessary adjustments. These goals are attainable as long as I can continue working. If I made some projections based on the number of years before needing the money, this plan is likely to be realistic. However, the best course of action would be to compare alternate plans to see which would give the best return. The frequency (time-based) is monthly over some years.
The ideal situation is to be able to address each of the five components of SMART. Don’t worry if you find some overlap. As long as you can work from your plan, it won’t make much of a difference.
Of course, you will certainly be aware that setting and achieving goals requires a lot of self-discipline, so if you want to learn about growing your own self-discipline then download the featured resource below which is a free report all about the power of self-discipline; download it, read it and take action 😊
