The secret to productivity lies in working effectively; smart work over hard work. Burning your body out and giving in to hustle culture is no measure of productivity. Learning how to work smarter will not only help you get tasks done on time but also accelerate your job hunting process in BCJobs too.
Tools to improve your productivity with smart work
Type faster and use shortcuts
You could be a YouTuber and you’d still find yourself in front of the keyboard these days. Improving your typing speed alone could cut down half of your time spent on menial tasks. If your job involves writing, you might want to combine fast typing with voice dictation too.
You can check your word per minute speed on Ratatype. Games like TypeRacer help you improve your typing speed.
Keyboard shortcuts are equally helpful since they cut down on the time you have to drag your mouse around. Try to get used to using them until they come naturally to you.
Make a to-don’t list
If to-do lists are for a reminder of your upcoming tasks, to-don’t lists are there to ensure you aren’t distracted from those tasks.
Write down everything you want to avoid in your life, from mindless social media scrolling to procrastinating on updating that one excel sheet.
Practice your elevator speech
Cut through the jargon whether you’re drawing up an email or conversing on the phone when it comes to professional interactions.
Get to the point on what they want from you and how you can help them. One of the most used methods for this is to practice the elevator speech. If you can explain why your client or your interviewer would benefit from your presence in 30 seconds, you’ll be saving everyone’s time and money.
Use productivity tools wisely
Productivity tools are excellent companions if you learn to use them smartly. Sometimes, getting the hang of the productivity tool can take longer than being productive.
When choosing productivity tools, consider one of each. Instead of using tools where time management and writing are in the same system like Notion, separate the tools for each purpose.
Tools with only one purpose are much simpler and easier to learn. There’s also a huge number of productivity tools in the market. There’s a noticeable saturation, so choose wisely before proceeding with one.
Learning and networking
You should never stop learning. Take a look at your resume and identify the skills you can still improve. Additionally, continue to network in your niche. Sometimes, the right connections get you way far than any hard or smart work.
It’s safe to say that establishing the right connection is smart work?.
Final Thoughts
In an attempt to work smart, don’t end up working harder too. Some people get so obsessed with learning how to work smart that they overwork themselves leading to major burnout. Listen to your body. Acknowledge when your brain can’t take it anymore. Log off the computer and go take a walk. Gossip by the cooler if you’re in the office. You deserve occasional breaks, life’s too short to be grinding 24/7 anyway!
About the Author
BCjobs.ca is Western Canada’s largest job board, with the majority of the jobs coming from Vancouver. For nearly 20 years, BC Jobs has connected job candidates with companies looking to add talent to their teams. If your team is looking to recruit, BCJobs.ca is the right tool for you. Our job board has grown through virtual career fairs, branding, and partnerships. Contact us at community@bcjobs.ca today.
