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October #b365 Tip: Work Smarter, Not Harder
I’m exhausted. I don’t have time for that. I wish I could, but….
Sound familiar? This month, we’re focused on helping you work smarter, not harder so you have extra time to do YOU. Here’s how:
Be fiercely kind (to yourself).
Most of us have no problem devoting time and energy to everyone around us—but we’re quick to neglect our own needs. Practice being your own advocate. Protect your time on your calendar, say no when you’re feeling overextended, and move your body in a way that gives you joy.
Stop multitasking.
Every morning, ask yourself, what is the one thing I can do today that will move the needle the most? Write it down and do it. When you finish, move on to the next most important thing. The key is to focus on one thing at a time, since the human brain is incapable of doing more than one thing at once.
Take breaks.
Have you ever heard your barre3 instructor say, “Take a break when you need it and you’ll come back stronger”? The same is true beyond your workout. Stand up and stretch between meetings, use your vacation time, grab a tea with your friend. Giving your body and mind time to recover leads to better performance and productivity when you return.
Talk face-to-face.
Sometimes a five-minute conversation can save you from a day’s worth of email or text exchanges. Talking live also decreases the duplicate effort and inefficiency that can result from miscommunication over digital channels.
Double up on recipes.
Making double batches of your favorite recipes will help you spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing what you love. This slow-cooker comfort stew makes 10 servings and is great to freeze. It’s also easy to make extras of this red bean and quinoa dish and this sweet potato and black bean turkey chili.
What strategies do you have for working smarter? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
I’m exhausted. I don’t have time for that. I wish I could, but….
Sound familiar? This month, we’re focused on helping you work smarter, not harder so you have extra time to do YOU. Here’s how:
Be fiercely kind (to yourself).
Most of us have no problem devoting time and energy to everyone around us—but we’re quick to neglect our own needs. Practice being your own advocate. Protect your time on your calendar, say no when you’re feeling overextended, and move your body in a way that gives you joy.
Stop multitasking.
Every morning, ask yourself, what is the one thing I can do today that will move the needle the most? Write it down and do it. When you finish, move on to the next most important thing. The key is to focus on one thing at a time, since the human brain is incapable of doing more than one thing at once.
Take breaks.
Have you ever heard your barre3 instructor say, “Take a break when you need it and you’ll come back stronger”? The same is true beyond your workout. Stand up and stretch between meetings, use your vacation time, grab a tea with your friend. Giving your body and mind time to recover leads to better performance and productivity when you return.
Talk face-to-face.
Sometimes a five-minute conversation can save you from a day’s worth of email or text exchanges. Talking live also decreases the duplicate effort and inefficiency that can result from miscommunication over digital channels.
Double up on recipes.
Making double batches of your favorite recipes will help you spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing what you love. This slow-cooker comfort stew makes 10 servings and is great to freeze. It’s also easy to make extras of this red bean and quinoa dish and this sweet potato and black bean turkey chili.
What strategies do you have for working smarter? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
