Protect your time by being selective with meetings and utilizing emails or asynchronous activities to maintain control of your calendar.
Create a distraction-free environment, prioritize tasks effectively using a system like the Eisenhower matrix, and focus on urgent and important tasks.
Deep dives
Rule 1: Protect Your Time
One of the main rules for working smart is to protect your time. Many meetings are often a waste of time, so be ruthless in only scheduling meetings when necessary and utilize emails or other asynchronous activities whenever possible to maintain control of your calendar.
Rule 2: Create the Right Environment
To work smart, it's crucial to create the right environment and minimize distractions. Remove any potential distractions from your workspace, such as social media platforms, by using website-blocking apps or limiting access to certain devices. Avoid giving immediate attention to non-urgent matters, as very few things require immediate response.
Rule 3: Be Great at Prioritizing
Effective prioritization is key to working smart. Use a system that works for you, such as the Eisenhower matrix, to categorize tasks based on urgency and importance. Focus on urgent and important tasks, delegate tasks that are urgent but not important, and eliminate tasks that are neither urgent nor important.
I think people who say hard work is overrated are full of sh*t. I don't know a single successful professional that didn't work hard. But I also think for most professionals, the way to improve the fastest is by getting smarter at how you work. In this episode, I explain how to work smarter.
Check out the full transcript of this episode below, and if you have any ideas for our show, email me at alex@morningbrew.com or my DMs are open @businessbarista.