Work Smart - Not Hard

In my fairly short career so far, I have had the opportunity to gain great wisdom from very interesting people. Recently, I was discussing the simple but useful concept of working smarter rather than harder. The topic may benefit people from a variety of industries, especially those like myself who are early on in their careers. Key points can be outlined as follows:

1.     Simplify complex issues

Many people enjoy making simple things seem complex and some do it intentionally in order to be perceived as "smart". It is important to identify this behaviour and ensure we don't fall into this trap ourselves. The real smart ones are those who actually do the inverse – making complex things seem simple. The ability to simplify complex information is a skill in itself which is worth developing, especially now that various industries are transitioning into becoming more technologically advance and globally connected.

2.     Manage your time efficiently

There is also a naive misconception that doing longer hours is the key to career progression. In reality this is an illogical assumption because you have to question why does one have to do longer hours in the first place? In most cases the answer is because they are incapable of performing well during normal hours. Simply managing your time more efficiently by prioritising and organising your tasks is a great and effective way of improving your performance.

3.     Avoid focusing on other’s perception of you

Do not change the way you work in order to maintain your colleague’s perceptions of you, as that itself is impossible. One's positive perception can easily be another's negative perception meaning you will never be able to satisfy everyone. Furthermore, you will notice that successful people do not even worry about perceptions simply because they have no need to. Constantly worrying about perceptions is a major distraction that can be detrimental on your long-run performance.

4.     Improve your effort-to-output ratio

Time spent worrying about how people perceive you is much better spent on improving your own self. Focus on your own effort-to-output ratio by asking yourself how much effort did it take to achieve the required output? Could this effort have been reduced for the same level of output? Alternatively, could output have been increased with the same effort? Constantly reflecting on the past, which includes both success and failure, is an excellent method of improving the way you work. Ensure your reflections manifest into practical change which allows you to improve your productivity by minimising efforts and maximising output.

Above points are simply ideas which may benefit some but not others. Ultimately the message is to focus on quality rather than quantity by working smart – not hard.

Please do share your thoughts as well as personal experiences you may have.