Lesson No 23: Work Smart
The Queen of Hearts: The Confessions of An ‘Accidental’ Leader
I didn’t purpose to be in the space that I find myself in – Founder & CEO, Passionate Entrepreneur, EQ Fanatic and OWIT Nairobi President. God plucked me from the path that I had set out for myself & set me on an alternative journey. At the start it all appeared somewhat ‘accidental’ but I know now that it was no accident, rather His design, His purpose for my life…
So now that I am here, these are my confessions…the lessons I am learning about being a woman in business, building an empire, one brick at a time…
Lesson No 23: Work Smart
“Working hard and working smart sometimes can be two different things.”
- Byron Dorgan
You have undoubtedly heard the age-old adage, ‘working smarter, not harder’. I have learned that in order to get the most out of each day, working hard is not enough, I have to work smart. Working smart results in better self-management and higher productivity. Here are my top 5 tips to working smarter;
- Plan & Prioritise. You have undoubtedly heard the truism ‘fail to plan, plan to fail.’ Focus on the important & not just the urgent. If you fail to plan your time, someone else will plan it for you and you will exist in a constantly reactive state. Rather be proactive. Identify all that needs to be done then determine your priorities. Time block the important and ring fence activities that have a high impact. The key is to spend more time focussing on high payoff activities and less on low payoff activities. It is important to note that going for high impact requires cutting out the fluff
- Delegate. Delegation doesn’t always come naturally but ensuring that the right person is allocated the right task is key to success. Delegate effectively & leverage yourself to increase your value.
- Automate. Utilise technology & find ways to automate tasks. From creating email filters, setting calendar reminders, utilising available apps to using more functional applications all in an effort to get the job done quicker and more efficiently.
- Say “No.” Stop trying to be all things to all people. Saying yes to one thing is saying no to something else. Time is an invaluable resource. Avoid overscheduling yourself & be realistic about what you can actually achieve
- Take care of yourself. Get enough rest. Eat well. Exercise. At the office, create pockets of time to regroup and recharge. For example, push yourself hard for the first 50 minutes of every hour and then reward yourself with a 10-minute break. A healthy you is a more productive & efficient you!
Emotional Intelligence is being smart with feelings – more aware, more intentional & more purposeful. Working hard is not enough – you must be more aware, intentional & purposeful so that you can work smart!
With Love,
The Queen Of Hearts
Mucha Mlingo
| Six Seconds EQ Practitioner | Master Trainer & Facilitator |
| Award Winning International Keynote Speaker |
