Working harder does not equal better results. Period.
You might think it does but it doesn’t. Don’t let the illusion of effort fool you into thinking that your actually getting more stuff done, when that more stuff is likely to be of less quality.
You’ve probably heard the saying “working smarter not harder”? But what does that mean exactly?
Let’s go back 200 years to Scotland, where in 1817 Social Community leader Robert Owen proposed an 8 hour work day to protect workers who primarily held jobs brought about by the industrial revolution.
Yep, the 8 hour work day, that modern companies and corporate executives impose, was introduced 2 centuries ago when people were punching a card in factories making machines.
Why then, when work has changed so dramatically over the last 100 years, or even the last 10, should people still be trying to force themselves to ‘work’ an 8 hour day.
When technology, communication and even human interaction has changed so much, why do we still hold onto the idea that to be productive we have to follow a system that was brought in 2 centuries ago?
The answer. Because people don’t think.
Most people conform to societal norms and social conditioning without ever questioning how or why things should be the way the are.
IF you want to succeed, you need to think differently. You need to think above the crowd.
In today’s interconnected world, most people’s day is a distracted jumble of meetings, phone calls, emails, social media as well as other responsibilities that have been thrust upon them in today’s post pandemic world.
So how do you remain productive and feel like you’re actually getting things done?
First, here’s the problem with a day that is a fragmented mess.
Context switching – jumping from one task to another and then back again. Just going from your current task to your inbox can eat up around 20% of your productivity.
Attention residue – we suffer from something called attention residue. Our brains are not designed to switch tasks at a moment’s notice. Some studies say it can take up to 23 minutes to regain focus after being interrupted.
So the answer? FOCUS. If you can learn to dedicate even just one or two hours to intense focus you get a compound return on investment.
Here are 5 things to consider to help you get the most out of your day for real progress.
Find your optimal time to work.
There are times in the day when you are naturally more energised, focused and productive. Use them. For most people this is usually in the morning, but it differs person to person.
Give yourself the right conditions to work.
Environment is key. An environment that allows you to focus is one of the most important things you can establish. Take away distractions, find a productive place with good energy, light and fresh air and block emails, news, social media and even turn off your phone.
Choose a daily highlight, or a One thing to focus on.
Have something you identify as a high level action to work on. Something meaningful and important. Something between a task and a long term goal. Make sure you protect your time and focus on that ONE thing for the duration. This is the secret of high performers.
Listen to your body, not the clock.
Whether it’s two hours or three, it’s not set in stone, so forcing yourself to work when you’re losing focus and energy will just lead to burnout. You need time to rest, so take a break when your natural energy dips and listen to your body.
Work around your personal productivity curve.
Completing your daily One thing ensures you feel productive, but it doesn’t have to end there. If you manage your calendar around your focused time, you can schedule meetings, emails and calls when your energy is lower and daily tasks when energy is higher.
At the end of the day, it’s all about focus. Intense focus is a superpower in our distracted world. More time doesn’t equal more work. Starting your day with as little as 2 hours of focus will bring compounding results over time.
If you do these things, you’ll likely get more done in a shorter amount of time than most people do in an 8 hour day.