Work smarter, not harder: 20 home office tricks you wish you knew | Advertiser Daily

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Who wants to work harder?

The saying “work smarter, not harder” has become increasingly important in today’s busy society.

It’s about making the most of your working methods to get better results while avoiding wasting time and money. This philosophy focuses on using intelligence, creativity and strategic thinking to get things done faster rather than cutting corners.

But how exactly to achieve this? Read on to learn how you can become the envy of your team.

Working smarter, not harder, aims to reduce unnecessary effort and burnout while increasing productivity and efficiency.

It involves the use of methods, instruments and tactics to obtain the best results with the least amount of effort, time and money.

Individuals and organizations can get more done in less time by focusing on efficiency and effectiveness, freeing up resources for other key activities or for personal well-being.

The ultimate goal is to achieve better results with less effort and stress, resulting in a more meaningful and long-lasting career.

First, set clear, measurable, realistic, relevant and time-bound (SMART) goals. For example, if you’re a writer, your goal might be to complete a certain number of articles by the end of the month.

Break these overarching goals into more manageable and achievable tasks. For example, if your goal is to create ten articles, break them down into daily or weekly goals to ensure you’re making steady progress.

By making the most of your space, you can create an environment that encourages concentration and production. Not only will you appreciate it more, but it can also make your desk look amazing.

To reduce distractions and improve comfort, spend money on organizing supplies, invest in a good standing desk and other ergonomic furniture such as office chairs, and use appropriate lighting.

A good place to start is to check out what local Australian brands like UpDown and Desky have to offer. UpDown is a leading manufacturer of high-quality manual and electric seating stands and all the standing desk accessories you need to take your workplace to the next level.

To prevent neck pain, declutter your workspace, position your monitor at eye level, and block out anything distracting from background music or noise-cancelling headphones.

Prioritize tasks using the Eisenhower matrix to group tasks by urgency and importance.

Important but non-urgent tasks should be prioritized after both urgent and critical tasks. Those that are important but not urgent should be delegated, and those that are neither important nor urgent should be discarded or postponed until later.

Using this approach will help you focus your time and efforts on the most important activities.

Use time management strategies such as the Pomodoro Technique, which involves alternating short intervals of focused work with periods of rest.

To organize your work and allocate time for each activity, use tools such as task management applications and digital calendars.

Set aside specific periods of time for focused work to avoid distractions, and use technology such as website blocking to limit interruptions.

This is one of my favorites. Determine what duties, including data entry, research, or administrative work, can be assigned to others.

Assign these responsibilities to team members, assistants, or independent contractors to free up time for work that requires strategic thinking or specialization.

Provide thorough directions and guidelines to ensure assigned work is completed quickly and successfully.

Identify time-consuming or repetitive processes that can be automated using software tools or workflows.

For example, you can use project management software to automate work assignments and reminders, or you can use email filters and templates to automate email responses.

Setting up business automation systems requires work up front, but it will save you time and effort later.

Develop your ability to say “no” by carefully considering offers and commitments, and by being prepared to turn down work that doesn’t fit your priorities and goals.

Use assertive communication strategies to firmly but respectfully reject demands and, if necessary, suggest compromises or alternatives.

By learning to say “no,” you can prevent overcommitment and focus your time and efforts on the things that really matter.

Let go of the need to multitask and focus on completing one task at a time with your full attention.

Monotasking is a technique that can increase the concentration, efficiency and quality of your work.

For example, close any tabs or applications you don’t need while creating a report, turn off any alerts, and set aside a specific amount of time for uninterrupted typing.

Regularly review your workflows and procedures to find inefficiencies or potential areas for improvement. To improve your workflow, get feedback from mentors or colleagues, and don’t be afraid to test new tools and methods.

To improve your skills and knowledge, stay up to date with industry trends and best practices and make continuous investments in learning and development.

Make sure you keep your desk tidy to avoid stress and distractions.

Use digital tools to help you stay up to date with your responsibilities and projects. You can track task progress and manage to-do lists using apps like Trello or Todoist.

For example, you can create separate boards or lists for different projects or categories, set deadlines, and rank tasks according to their urgency and relevance.

To make sure you don’t miss anything, these apps also provide features like notifications and reminders.

With productivity apps and software, automating repetitive processes can help streamline your workflow.

For example, you can build automated workflows, or “Zaps,” that connect different applications and trigger actions depending on predetermined parameters, using platforms like Zapier or IFTTT.

For example, you can use Zaps to create calendar events from emails or automatically save email attachments to the cloud.

Take care of your digital distractions by turning off unnecessary notifications on gadgets and apps. For example, during busy periods, turn off notifications for chat apps, email alerts, and social networking apps.

Instead of letting alerts interrupt your daily tasks, schedule specific times to view and respond to them.

By learning shortcuts for frequently used commands and actions in your preferred programs and software, you can speed up your workflow and reduce repetitive workload.

For example, learn shortcuts for operations such as pasting and copying, formatting text, switching between windows or tabs, and accessing frequently used menus and tools.

Make a manageable and realistic to-do list, focusing on items that align with your priorities and goals. To make larger tasks more manageable and achievable, break them down into smaller, manageable parts.

For example, break the task “write a report” into smaller tasks such as “research topic”, “general sections”, and “draft”, instead of just giving it a name.

One of the increasingly popular office productivity hacks involves artificial intelligence (AI), which increases productivity and streamlines tasks.

Use AI-powered analytics to draw insights from big data, virtual assistants like Siri or Google Assistant to schedule meetings or create reminders, and AI-powered grammar and spelling checkers to review text.

Other popular AI tools include ChatGBT, perplexity, and Gemini.

By allocating times on your calendar for specific responsibilities and projects, you can secure your time and prioritize focused effort.

To ensure you allocate time for key tasks and prevent overcommitment, set specific blocks of time in your calendar for intense work, meetings, and personal activities.

Monitor your time use to detect inefficiencies and areas that could be used better.

To track the amount of time spent on various tasks and projects, use a time tracking app or the built-in functionality of your project management software.

Check this data to spot trends, better manage your time, and decide what to prioritize in terms of time and resources.

Take regular breaks throughout the day to rejuvenate your body and mind by getting outside.

Take a little walk outside or enjoy a change of scenery to reduce stress, boost your creativity and improve your overall well-being (and burn some calories at the office).

Plan short breaks, for example, to get up and move around, get some fresh air and clear your head before returning to work after work or a meeting.

Determine when you are most productive, depending on your preferred work methods and natural energy cycles.

Schedule your most difficult or important tasks for these periods to capitalize on your best work. For example, if you wake up early, focus on difficult or creative tasks first thing in the morning, when your energy is highest.

Give top priority to the tasks and initiatives that are most likely to help you achieve your goals.

Determine which tasks provide the best return on investment (ROI) in terms of resources, time and effort. For example, focus on tasks that align with your long-term goals and vision, strategic initiatives, or projects that will make money.

You can increase productivity and achieve significant results by focusing your attention on high-impact tasks.