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Work Smarter, Not Harder Meaning -(Best 07 Ways For Success)

Many people do hard work but didn’t get an effective result. Don’t work harder work smarter always. This strategy will give you success in a short time. Maintain a high level of efficiency at your work by managing your time well. Working hard will not determine your creative energy and innovative ideas. It also deteriorates your quality of life.

Work Smarter, Not Harder Meaning And Easy Success Ways

Working hard for success is an old and invalid concept whereas people search always shortcut ways to succeed. The purpose of working smarter is to accomplish the same or more things without working hard. The best way of working efficiently is to optimize your brain functions.

Our brains normally are capable of remaining focused on anything for about 90 minutes and then you need a break for at least 15 minutes. During these breaks, you must relax both your body of mind. Then brains will be re-charged.

See An Example:

I am slow at typing. I tried typing on email but progress was not satisfactory. Then, I received more phone calls from my customers than writing emails. So always “work smarter, not harder” as a smart man.

To become successful in business/ life, follow the below steps.

don't work harder work smarter
Image of don’t work harder work smarter

Follow These 07 Tips If You Work Smarter, Not Harder

01. Measure your results, not your time

When we measure productivity, we often focus on how long something takes to complete; as opposed to what we actually accomplished in a day. For example, you just spent approx. five hours writing a 1,200-word blog post.

But, what if you focused on the smaller parts of the blog/ article post? For example, you broke into six 200-word sections, formatted it properly, added headings, ran spellcheck and added images. Suddenly you realize you actually completed a lot in that timeframe.

A few basic laws of idea generation and human nature are:

  • When the brain gets tired, it doesn’t work well,
  • Idea generation happens on its own terms,
  • When you feel forced to execute beyond your capacity, you will begin to hate what you are doing.

By keeping task list you’ll feel more motivated and focused and confident since you can actually see what you accomplished.

02. Have an positive attitude Always

In some case studies, found that people more effective at work when we have a “positive attitude.” Don’t give up hope. People with a good attitude can take more initiative whenever they want. They willingly help a colleague and other guys who need help.

Furthermore, a good attitude at job or profession will help you set standards for your work, ensure that you’re taking responsibility for yourself, and make decisions easier. To get success in your life, don’t work harder work smarter.

03. Communicate with Others and grow your network

If you’re freelancer, entrepreneur, businessman or employee, there will be times when you will have to work with others. So, you should strengthen your communication and collaboration skills. When you could do, you’ll be able to eliminate unnecessary rework and wasted time from straightening out any misunderstandings and miscommunications.

With communication grow and bigger your network. Communication is the key to success and it will help to grow your business smoothly. Hpefully, you don’t work harder work smarter.

04. Set a routine and keep consistency

We are creatures of habit and so are our brains too. When we establish routines, we can carry out tasks faster since we don’t have to ‘think’ about the task again or prepare for it as much and can work on autopilot. Create a task list for the next day and keep a consistency of your work.

05. Organized Tasks and do Automate more tasks

Organize your tasks and reduce the number of decisions you have to make throughout the day. Try to do automate more task and you will find balance in your life. By doing these, you could focus all of your energy on more important work decisions. So, don’t work harder work smarter.

Similarly, you need to use the right tools for your business. Start by investing in a mouse, keyboard, webcam (when making a video conference), and headphones. Spending time playing with cheap tech just consumes your day, so do your research to find a technology that will meet your needs. You also have to carry the energy with you wherever you go, so you don’t have to hunt for many stores.

If you are struggling to leave notes and ideas scattered in various notebooks and sticky notes, consider getting a small, lightweight notebook that automatically sends your notes to the cloud. It still gives you a paper and pencil feel, but it will save you time to write or scan your notes over time.

To keep up with that, always have a separate backup for your files – as a precautionary measure. Cloud drives fail and sometimes the internet does not work, so having a physical backup can save you time and give you peace of mind. Another way to work smarter is not to work too hard.

06. Stop multitasking and Relieve stress

We all believe that we’re multitaskers. In fact, humans just aren’t capable of doing multiple things at a time.

“People can’t do multitask very well, and when people say they can, they’re deluding themselves,” said neuroscientist Earl Miller.

We’re simply shifting our attention from one task to another very quickly rather than to give attention to one task. Finish one task and take a break at least 15-30 minutes and then start your next task. It will improve your efficiency. So, take a smart move and don’t work harder work smarter.


Stress can cause physical, emotional and behavioural problems – which can impact your health, energy, well-being, and mental alertness. It’s not surprising that stress hinders your work performance.

The good news is that you may be able to relieve that workplace stress in various ways such as exercising or playing sports, praying or attending a religious service, reading, listening to music, spending time with friends or family, going outside for a walk, meditating and spending time with a creative hobby.

You can even purchase unusual birthday gifts for your wife or lover online and avoiding to go a physical shop that can save you time and energy. The least effective strategies are shopping, eating, drinking, playing video games, browsing the Internet, and watching TV or movies for more than one or two hours.

07. Do the work which you enjoyed to do

Not everyone gets privilege enough to do what he/ she love for a living. Even if you are chasing your dreams and following your passions, there will still be tasks you’re not fond of doing or didn’t like so much. In either case, focus more on the work that you actually enjoyed to do.

For example, if you’re a photographer, then you obviously have a love for photography. Instead of spending your days doing programming/design-related tasks, outsource or delegate those tasks so that you can spend more time in photography.

When you do it, you’ll feel more fulfilled, inspired, challenged, and productive. If you want to get success in your life, don’t work harder work smarter.

These are the best 07 steps you should follow to get success easily. I hope you understand that “work smarter not harder meaning”

FAQ on Work Smarter Not Harder Meaning

How to work smarter not harder in school?

The best way to work smarter in school depends on the individual student’s learning style, strengths, and weaknesses. However, some general tips that can help students work smarter not harder in school include:

  • Finding a study method that works for you. Some students learn best by listening to audio recordings of their lectures, while others prefer to read their notes or review flashcards.
  • Breaking down assignments into smaller tasks. When you have a large project to complete, break it down into smaller tasks that you can complete over time.
  • Planning ahead. Use a planner or calendar to keep track of upcoming assignments and tests. This will help you budget your time and ensure that you are prepared for everything.
  • Asking for help when you need it. Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher or a tutor for help if you are struggling with a concept. Getting help early on will save you time in the long run.

 Quote of “Work Smarter Not Harder Meaning”

Some quotes on “Work Smarter, Not Harder” which may inspire you.

Work hard,
and you will earn good rewards.
Work smart,
and you will earn great rewards.
Work hard and work smart,
and you will earn extraordinary rewards.

― Matshona Dhliwayo

Final Words on Work Smarter Not Harder Meaning

When it comes to performance, it may seem tempting to shake or burn oil in the middle of the night, but there are better ways to do things. As you begin to work smarter and not harder, you will find great momentum in your daily production.

If you can do smart work with hard dedication, you can achieve success quickly. The moment you use smart methods is the time when you decide to work best. I hope you enjoyed the article on “work smarter not harder meaning”. You can share your thoughts with us by commenting. Thanks!

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