Hard-working with short steps.

 You put in hard work each day, and you know it. Your body knows it, and most certainly, your mind knows it. 

Maybe you've thought about how many projects you're taking on or how long your commute is to work. Maybe you're getting things done, but it's taking all your energy. 

You aren't afraid of working hard. But you aren't sure if you can keep finding ways to work even harder. 

Have you wondered if there's a better or more effective way?

If you want to get somewhere without going down the path of burnout, it might be time to consider if you could be working smarter, not harder.

Delegate more

Mastering the art of delegation is an essential skill. But if you're a control freak, perfectionist or micromanager, it can be difficult. The key is understanding that the ability to delegate will make you more productive. One study even showed that CEOs who delegate experience lower levels of decision fatigue, fewer instances of burnout and generate 33% more revenue than those with low delegation skills.

Focus on high-impact tasks

Chances are, you have a long-running to-do list. Instead of trying to accomplish everything or get to inbox zero, focus on tasks that will have the greatest long-term impact. Work smarter by concentrating on the things that are most critical to your job performance and the company’s success.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable

As humans, we function at our optimal level when we have a moderate degree of anxiety or are slightly outside our comfort zone. If we remain within our comfort zone, we don’t push ourselves and, consequently, don’t achieve much. Conversely, in situations where we are too far out of our comfort zone, we become unproductive because unusually high anxiety causes stress that can hurt our performance.

To strive for growth, we have to learn to push ourselves to operate comfortably outside our comfort zone.

Reward yourself

This is a form of extrinsic motivation, even though you’re the one who’s creating the motivation. When you accomplish tasks you don’t enjoy or when you reach a big milestone in a project, treat yourself. Not only will this make you feel rewarded for pushing through the task you will also be more motivated to push through to the next milestone—and the accompanying reward.

Remember your “why”

Few things are more motivating than remembering why you are doing the work. Remembering why you are pushing yourself can provide you with the internal motivation to reach your goals. Whether you are working on a project that has a result you are excited about or whether you simply want to put food on the table for your family, it is important to think about what is motivating you to do the work.

Don’t wait for motivation

One of the simplest methods to work smarter is explained by a phenomenon called the Zeigarnik Effect. The Zeigarnik Effect states that not completing a task creates mental tension, which keeps it top of mind. The only thing that will ease this tension is to complete the task. Starting a project is usually the hardest part. If you can start focusing on a project for a few minutes, the brain's desire to complete it should then take over. So next time you feel like putting off a task, just take that first step, and the rest will follow.