How to work smarter

In today’s fast-paced, high stress work environment, it is more important than ever that people work smarter. This does not necessarily mean working longer hours or taking on too much responsibility. What it does mean is managing time effectively, being organized and efficient in work processes, prioritizing tasks so important items are completed early, and making decisions proactively instead of always putting out fires.

One of the biggest mistakes many people make in their work is to believe that organizing and planning take too much time. Instead, a modest investment in time upfront in these areas, can be huge timesavers, and stress savers, as work progresses. The ability to know where things are, know always what needs to be done, and know where resources are to do work, are all keys to success.

Fortunately, there are many excellent tools available for today’s worker to help with time management, organization, and efficient work. Some of the best strategies and tactics to use when working smarter include:

• Creating templates for most common tasks – An excellent way to efficiently complete a frequently occurring task such as a document or other paperwork is to create a template that allows for a consistent setup and use. Learn more

• Configuring outlook folders and contact lists – Outlook is one of the best organizing tools available. Folders are an easy way to organize emails and contact lists make tracking down contacts hassle-free. Learn more

• Keeping your bookmarks up to date – If there are sites that you visit regularly or the are important to find quickly, bookmarking them, or adding them to Favorites, makes it much easier and quicker to access them.

• Keeping a clean desk area and computer desktop – Though some people argue that they prefer to operate in “organized chaos”, the reality is that a clean work space, and an uncluttered computer desktop makes tracking and finding important items much simpler. Learn more