Work smarter, not harder

6 Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder

Feeling overwhelmed at work? Here are some tips to help you stay on top of your work and in charge of your life.

1. Plan 

Every night, make a to-do list of all your unfinished business and projects. Review the list, prioritize and decide how much time you need to get each activity done. Use a planner that shows you a full week at a time.  Start your workday right—at home the night before. After dinner, pack your lunch for the next day, while you’re already in the kitchen. Lay out the kids’ clothes and your own and pack your bag or briefcase. 

2. Prioritize

What 20 percent of your work is the most valuable—to you and to your employer? Once you’ve identified it, try to focus the lion’s share of your time and energy in that direction. Like priority standards, identify what is crucial vs. helpful.

3. Set Deadlines for Major Projects

Instead of procrastinating, divide large projects into manageable pieces and attack only one piece at a time. Instead of worrying about cleaning the whole house, clean just the bathroom. Expect quality rather than perfection. Block out some time when you can’t be disturbed except in an emergency and use that time to get the most important tasks of the day done. If someone stops by your desk and asks for a moment of your time, you can honestly and politely reply, “No, I’m in the middle of something right now, but I'll get back to you later.” 

4. Delegate

Ask for help on projects at work, recruit your children to help around the house at home, or hire someone to maintain your lawn.  Identify the things you can reasonably accomplish, and then get some help!

5. Organize Throughout the Day

Remember this rule: Tuck it, transfer it or trash it. Quickly glance over every piece of mail and every memo or e-mail message you get. If it looks as if it’s potentially important, file it right away in a folder marked “pending” or delegate it to someone else to take care of. If it’s not relevant or it’s something you’ll never look at again, trash it. Handle your mail the same way at home.

6. Be Social at Work

Chitchat can be very important because it builds relationships and helps you stay plugged in to the office grapevine. Share a joke, anecdote or personal story while standing at the photocopier or waiting for a meeting to start. Schedule a coffee break with an office buddy.

I don't think there's any time of year that gets easier for educators, and it often feels like it's difficult to keep your head above water.  These tips are not going to magically make your life easier, and it isn't meant to assume you aren't already doing some of these things, but I find that periodic reminders can be helpful to get my focus where it should be.

So in my effort to prioritize, I am going to try something new with the blog, and only update the post every other week.  The calendar will still be updated weekly, but this page will be twice a month.

Good luck with working smarter!
Sue