Work Effectively and Smart to Achieve Tasks

In today's article, I'd like to share a very informative article which was written by another professional writer. Read this article throughly and enjoy the knowledge.

Don't Work Hard, Work Smart

By Lisa Chilvers
"This is a quote"...
Submitted On August 19, 2013

"The world is full of busy people. You know the type. The person who's always rushing from place to place, always on the go, never stopping. They probably think that being busy means they're being productive, but it's not the same thing. The most successful people are always achieving great things by seemingly doing very little and whereas some would say they're just lucky, I'd say that they're excellent at "smart" working; they know precisely how to achieve the most in the shortest possible time.

How do they do it? By being organised and having a plan, simple as that and by following the tips below, you'll see just how easy it can be to accomplish vast amounts in a short period of time and take your business to the next level.

1. Take a big step back

When you run your own business, it's all too easy to get engrossed in the day to day running and never step back to take a long hard look at what it is you're actually doing and what you're trying to achieve. Only when you know where you're going can you hope to formulate a plan of how to get there.

2. Tidy your desk

Whereas I have to admit to knowing some incredibly successful people who thrive in a cluttered environment, most of us need clean empty spaces in which to work effectively, so my advice is to clear your desk of all unnecessary clutter if you want to work effectively.

3. Decide on your goals

What exactly is it you're trying to achieve? It's useful to ask yourself this question before you take on any task. Does it fit in the bigger picture of what you want to achieve? If not, don't do it, simple as that.

4. Have a Plan

Too often, too many of us sit down at our desks at the start of the day without any real idea of what it is we're going to do. We then spend the next hour or so umming and ahing about it, without actually getting on with anything constructive.

Try writing out a plan of what you want to do the night before. When you start work the following morning, you'll know exactly what you want to get done and can get started right away

5. Think Small

What, I hear you cry? You're always telling us to think big! Well, normally yes, but when it comes to organising what you're going to do, big projects can often seem too daunting to tackle, so we spend hours procrastinating rather than getting anything productive done. Try breaking big tasks down into small manageable chunks so you don't get too bogged down.

6. Get a "Will Do" List

We all have lots of things to do, not all of which can be done in a day. But we all insist on putting every task on a great big list which never ends. For a start, this is self defeating; the list never ends so we always worry about the things we haven't yet done and see it as some sort of Everest we will never manage to conquer. This in itself is counter productive, as we then end every day disheartened and defeated.

Much better to compile a short list of things we "will do" in a day. Not only will we get more stuff done, but we also feel better about yourself; as each item gets crossed off the list and the list gets nearer to completion, we feel a real sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

7. Be Focussed

Every working day is full of distractions - phone calls, emails, social media, to name just a few - and it's easy to lose focus on what it is you're trying to do. Wherever possible, set aside time in each day to deal with Social Media, calls to clients and emails, to free up large chunks of time to spend on productive effort. Every time you interrupt your thought process to switch between tasks during the day, you waste time having to re-focus on the job in hand, meaning tasks often take far longer to complete than you originally thought. Although many of us are great at multi-tasking, devoting all your attention to one thing at a time will deliver far better results.

8. Eyes on the Prize

Not only do you need to stay focussed on the work in hand, you always need to remember what you're ultimately trying to achieve. Remembering why you're doing something will often give you the impetus you need to see it through to conclusion. Smaller tasks may sometimes seem insignificant, but they are often an integral part of something much bigger and completing them will get you where you need to be in a shorter space of time.

9. Seconds out

Divide your day into shorter periods of time and then plan to use each period of time effectively. Never be tempted to let projects overrun their allotted time and, if necessary, use a timer to let you know when it's time to move on to the next task. Not finished? Simply set aside a chunk of time the following day to complete it.

10. Have a Break...

Never think that just because you aren't working, you're not being productive. Sometimes the best business ideas pop up at the most random of times so never be afraid to take time out to re-focus and re-assess. It's easy to get so embroiled in a problem that it's hard to find a solution, but by stepping away for a short period of time can work wonders. Take a walk, have a cup of coffee, chat to a friend or take a nap; use whatever works for you to get some clarity of purpose but remember to set a time limit.

Remember, you can't manage time. It simply can't be done. Time will tick by regardless of what you do and although many scientists have strived over the years to develop a time machine, none has yet succeeded (and fans of The Big Bang Theory will know just how disappointing this can be!)

What you can do, however, is to manage what you do in the time that you have available. Now I'm not going to suggest that the above is a definitive list, nor will it work for everyone, but as most of us complain that we don't have enough hours in the day, perhaps some of the tips will make it a little easier to achieve more in a shorter space of time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Chilvers

Thank you, Lisa for allowing us to share this valuable information with our readers.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me directly for a free "no obligation" consultation.

"Let's Build a Powerful Business Together"

Adrian C Sheffield - Author, Mentor and Consultant

Private Line: 214-221-5689

See Yesterday's Article For Additional Helpful Tips.

Author Resource: Adrian C Sheffield - Author, Mentor and Consultant in assisting customers with their writing issues and wants to promote their site to "Top Positions with the search engines". Phone: 214-221-5689, Skype: acsheff20

Don't Work Hard, Work Smart

Adrian C Sheffield Author, Mentor and Consultant

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Don't Work Hard, Work Smart