Here are 9 steps to greater success by working less.
Value your time.
People who value their time more than money are happier, according to an article from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.
Interrupt people who are wasting your time.
Learn how tactfully to say, “This isn’t working.” In interviewing, for example, most hiring managers allow applicants thirty minutes to an hour to make their case. However, I could often tell how well a person’s interview went by knowing how long that person spent interviewing with a senior vice president or president of a company. These people would end interviews as soon as they decided that a candidate was not a fit.
Ask for help.
Success is a team sport. Successful people ask for help. I could do all the things that my secretary did. I could type, file cards, answer all the calls, but I made a lot more money when I let my secretary do these things and I focused on recruiting.
Get things done.
“It is not enough to be industrious; so are the ants. What are you industrious about?” asked Henry David Thoreau. I can work very hard. At the end of the day, I may be very tired. But I don’t make any money when I don’t get the things done that will make money.
Stay in the present moment.
Regrets, resentments, and guilt reside in the past. Fear exists in the future. Ruminating over the past or imaging the bad things that can happen in the future is a painful waste of time. The only moment anyone has is the present moment, the time when we can make decisions and take action.
Know your strengths and your weaknesses.
I can waste a lot of time trying to do things that I just can’t do well. I can use that same time being highly productive doing things that fit my skills and my purpose. Although developing new skills is important, building skills based on my strengths is the most effective and efficient way to find success.
Stick to the point.
I enjoy giving my point of view. I enjoy adding information to a discussion. But business meetings are not the time to be long winded. Extra information wastes time. Too much information can create confusion. Everyone benefits when people stick to the subject and get to the point.
Stop replying to every email and returning every phone call.
Unless I need someone to take action, I don’t need to acknowledge an email or a call I receive.
Be honest with yourself about yourself.
An article on Kellogg Insight discusses the dangers of faking it until you make it. If something doesn’t feel right, I need to check in with people I can trust and get their help in clearing my mind and getting back on track. If I don’t understand something, I need to be honest with myself. I can then ask questions to learn what I need to know.
