By Anne M. Bachrach

In a perfect world, we would all like to work less and play more. The slogan “work smarter,

not harder” has been around for a long time, and yet how many of us can truly say we

practice working smarter every day of our working lives?

Although “work smarter, not harder” seems to have become the daily mantra for working

people, most of them will tell you it’s a whole lot easier to say it than it is to do it!

Nevertheless, to operate effectively and efficiently in the current fast-paced business

environment, working smarter is a necessity.

Here is a list of 16 of some of the most valuable ideas and concepts to help you work smarter,

not harder.

1. Set daily goals

It’s impossible to work efficiently without a precise list of goals you want to achieve each

day. Plan your goals in advance, and then calendar them.

2. Cull your to-do list/ master task list / prioritized action list

Get lethal with your to-do list and delete (or move to the bottom of the list) anything that

isn’t going to add value to your daily activities. Do the most important activities that put

you in the highest probability position to achieve your goals.

3. Create mini goal posts

When you begin a new task, set a specific goal post for what you are going to achieve

before you stop work, and then focus on working until you reach that milestone.

4. Worst tasks first

Aim to get the most unpleasant and highest payoff tasks (which are sometimes the most

important) out of the way as soon as possible. When you think too much about doing the

jobs you don’t want to do, you procrastinate; so don’t think – just do!

5. Pick up the pace

Work towards deliberately revving up a few gears. Attempt to work faster, walk faster,

talk faster and type faster without sacrificing quality.

6. Necessities rather than neatness

Clearing your desk just to keep it neat can be risky. You need to keep the necessities

required to get the job done close at hand so tasks can be dealt with promptly.

7. Tame your In tray

Don’t allow your desk to become a giant “In tray”. When new paperwork arrives, sort it

into “Action” or “File” trays. Your “Action” tray can consist of tasks that require urgent

attention and those that don’t. Make a note in your day planner to follow-up on jobs that

are not urgent.

8. Organize your office

Plan your work space so you know where to find what you’re looking for. Label your

trays so they each have a specific purpose, keep your day planner close at hand to jot

down notes, and know where you store your office supplies.

9. Enthusiasm equals energy

Attack each task with the same level of enthusiasm you would give your favorite hobby

or sport. Approaching each new project with enthusiasm boosts your energy levels and

helps you get the job done faster and more efficiently.

10. Prioritize to plan

When confronted with a large or complex project, we often believe it’s a waste of time to

plan in advance how to tackle the job. In fact, you can end up saving numerous hours of

needless work by spending the time drawing up a project plan and then working through

it step by step.

11. Make promises not excuses

Commit to your decisions and follow them through. When you set goals, share them with

family and colleagues so you are held accountable for your actions. It’s harder to make

excuses when others are aware of your promises.

12. Even out the playing field

When delegation is necessary, delegate. Get your team on-side and inspire them to take

over whenever and wherever their skills are required. Ditch the idea that it’s all up to you.

You can still take the credit for a job well done even if you don’t complete 100% of the

duties. Many things we do can be done effectively by a team of people.

13. Deadline decisions

When you have a decision to make, set yourself a deadline of one minute. That gives you

59 seconds to mull it over, refine and re-process it and 1 second to announce the decision.

Take action immediately to set that decision in motion.

14. The power of punctuality and following your calendar

Make a commitment to always arrive at work, at appointments and at business meetings

on time, if not a few minutes beforehand. Consistently review your schedule so you can

prepare for meetings and appointments in advance. You want to have pre-meeting time

blocked on your calendar, then the actual meeting, followed by post-meeting time to

complete any and all action items that were discussed in the meeting before moving on to

the next activity on your calendar. If your calendar could talk, it should tell exactly what

do to every minute of the day to help you stay focused on all the activities that you know

you need to do to achieve your goals.

15. Get in tune with your intuition

If something feels right, do it. Go with your gut instinct, it’s usually right.

16. Improve your processes

Recognize which processes you perform on a regular basis and then write them down step

by step. Study each step and work towards refining and re-processing the steps for greater

efficiency.

Choose 2-4 of these concepts to immediately implement into your life in the next 30 days

so you can achieve even more of your goals in the timeframe you desire. Make a decision

today that you are going to “work smarter, not harder” so you can be even more successful

and enjoy a more balanced life.

© Anne M. Bachrach. All rights reserved. Anne M. Bachrach is known as The Accountability Coach™. She has 23 years of experience training and coaching. Business owners and entrepreneurs who utilize Anne’s proven systems and processes work less, make more money, and have a more balanced and successful life. Anne is the author of the books, Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule!, Live Life with No Regrets; How the Choices We Make Impact Our Lives, No Excuses!, and The Work Life Balance Emergency Kit. Go to http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/Achieve.Your.Goals.Free.Gifts.Now/ and get 3 FREE gifts including a special report on 10 Power Tips for Getting Focused, Organized, and Achieving Your Goals Now. Join the FREE Silver Inner Circle Membership today and receive 10% off on all products and services, in addition to having access to assessments and resources to help you achieve your goals so you can experience a more balanced and successful life (http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/).