We hear this every now and then. From all nooks and corners of the business productivity world, the notion to “working smarter, not harder” is pretty common. Most of us continue to feel behind tasks and twenty-four hours in a day isn’t enough. This has a negative impact on our productivity.

Obviously, working more hours is never the right solution because being overworked could affect our health, families and many other elements of life. We’ll share a few lifehacks with you today. Below is a list of the 3 steps to working smarter, not harder:

1. Keep a tab on your tabs

Yes, you have a list of the things you need to get done, they are even meticulously categorized to avoid getting mixed up, and even organized according to priority. You spent time detailing your workflow but if you do not check your list as rigorously as you made it, it won’t work. Lists are good, but it won’t be effective unless you keep a tab on your tabs.

Another common occurrence is when you are assigned with a new major project - and as a natural response, your ideas begin racing inside your head. Then you create a massive to-do list aiming to finish the project on time. This could result to an out-of-control list, making you anxious even before you start working on the project.

To resolve this, practice tackling one issue at a time, and focus on this before proceeding. Identify prerequisites. Make sure you have everything you need before you proceed, to avoid going back and forth on tasks.

In keeping a tab on your tabs, being able to manage your time properly is a crucial step to working smarter, not harder. As previously mentioned, delegating tasks allows you to focus on spending time wisely. At times, there are people who can do things better than you and accepting your scope is fine.

To effectively keep tabs on your tabs, there are productivity tools you can use and we have examples of business systems for entrepreneurs, sharing with you the top three on our list, based on experience and reviews across the web.

2. Create a “Don’t Do” List

Yes, that’s right. Sometimes we need to be reminded about the things that we must avoid doing to be more productive.

This step is so essential to working smarter, not harder that even Oprah highlights it on her website. There has to be a balance between the things that we ought to embrace and things that we need to let go.

This helps you maintain conscious attention in your day to day decision-making, may it be for a huge project or a personal goal.

The “don’t do” list may include notes to self such as avoiding spending too much time on social media. Anything that you need to drop so that you can avoid feeling swamped with tasks that may rip you off of your inner resources, making it nearly difficult for you to maintain sustainable and efficient function.

3. Look after your most valuable resource.

If you still think time is your greatest resource, you may want to reevaluate. It’s not even any of your jobs, properties or relationships. YOU are your most vital asset. Discover your values, talents, strengths and fundamentally bringing out the best in you.

Self-care and mindfulness has become more prevalent than ever as more and more people are becoming aware of its significance. Unlock your maximum potential by taking care of yourself. Invest in the most significant resource of your lifetime - yourself.