By: VICTORIA COLLIGAN
Growing up I was taught that hard work and long hours are rewarded. However over the years I have found that some of the most successful people actually work fewer hours, are more productive, take fabulous vacations and still have time to exercise daily without fail. This is because they’re “working smart,” not “hard.”
Here are the top 5 things I have learned from them:
1. Develop a routine that works for you, and not necessarily one that is obvious (in other words, if your most productive work hours are in the evenings, put structure around that and “own it.”). Prioritize and be disciplined. Don’t get distracted.
2. Don’t do everything, just the most important things. This requires a clear sense of what to follow through on and what to let slide. Successful people are absolute geniuses in this area. Find someone to model and carefully examine how they do it.
3. Do not procrastinate. Do the hardest, deadline driven activities first, then shift gears to the fun stuff.
4. Skip long winded conversations. Get to the point and stay there.
5. Do not over-delegate. Stay close to your business so you know exactly what to prioritize at any given moment. Maintain your passion for what you do and most of all, have fun!
