Start Working Hard on Working Smart!

99-SECOND READ

"The world rewards you for value provided, not time spent."

James Clear

For many reasons, we tend to associate a good job with hard work and effort – the purpose of this post is to explain why it will benefit you to focus on the results, not the time you put in. 

It started when we were young

From a young age we were told to work hard and to try hard, because hard work is a reliable way to get things done. It also educates children that they shouldn’t be lazy and need to work for the things they want in life. So, we grow up with a strong belief in hard work.

However, like a lot of things we’re told when we’re young, there’s more to it than that.

The way we’re paid is misleading

If you’re employed, you’re paid for your time – a salary, contracted to work a certain number of hours a week, or you’re paid on an hourly rate.

Because of this, it can feel like we’re paid for the hours we put in – in reality that’s just societies way of trying to pay people fairly. We’re actually paid of the results we achieve - no matter what job you do.

The time we spend, only matters when we do a bad job

If you deliver a great piece of work and submit it before the deadline, you will be praised – no one will be concerned with how long it took you. If you do a poor piece of work and submit it late, you will be asked how long you spent on it / how ‘hard’ you’re working.

It’s the results that count!

·        When our results are good - they are the measure

·        When our results are poor - time spent becomes the measure

Work smarter, not harder – ‘Sharpen Your Axe’

Focus on working smarter; do better work in less time.

Then benefit from the upward spiral; become more rested – do better work – become more rested and produce better results. Your employers will thank you, and you will thank yourself.

Watch this very concise explanation from Simon Sinek here.

There are lots of simple ways to work smarter – check out a few in my 99-second Post –  7 Ways to Work Smarter

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