Today I’m going to be sharing with you 5 tips on how you can work smart and not hard with a mixture of tips from a book that I’ve recently read, called The Core Confidence and my life experience as an online coach and former beauty salon owner.
I come from a culture where working hard just seems like the thing to do. I worked crazy hours when I was managing the beauty salon.
At some point in my life, I was really burnt out. I realised working hard is just not the right way to go about in life. After all, happiness is the core of our success. And, I wasn’t happily working such long hours including on the weekends.
Looking back at my life as a beauty salon owner, I was working hard, but not smart. So I really wanted to share with you that time is very precious, and that we should all work smart instead of working hard. Because by working smart, we can still produce the results and achieve our goals in business and in life.
TIP #1
Ask yourself, what is the number one thing that you have to do daily that is actually going to be moving the needle in your business?
Take note that the first two hours of the day is actually the most important time of your day. Spend time and focus on the task at hand that is actually going to help you move the needle in your business. Be intentional and just focus on that.
What does it mean by moving the needle in your business? It’s something you do that actually brings you closer to your goals that you’ve set up for your business.
It can be getting more clients, revenue or a return on investment of your time. Be sure to allocate your time properly. If there are things that don’t help you or are not in your zone of genius, it’s okay to just outsource it.
Don’t save the money because it can potentially do more harm than good. Let me give you an example. Let’s say your 1-hour coaching call is about $500 but the things that you’re doing is something that you can outsource at a few dollars by hiring a virtual assistant to help you with that task.
Imagine if you are spending your time trying to do a task at a few dollars, you are missing out on time where you can actually take in a coaching session and can be earning $500 more.
That’s what I meant by saving that money can actually do more harm than good. Do not be afraid to delegate the task and to hire someone that can help you.
I do get it if you’re having second thoughts in doing this because I personally experienced that, too. I was scared to hire more people in the beauty salon. I was afraid to hire a personal assistant that could just help me do a range of things.
At that time, I was focusing on saving this amount of money and doing it on my own. But really it stopped me from doing better and greater things that the salon can potentially achieve.
One thing that I learnt from my business previously and since I started the online coaching business is to not focus on doing the small activities that will not help me achieve my goals.
From there I’ve decided that I’m going to hire a virtual assistant that can help me and give me more time to focus on the tasks that I’m great at.
TIP #2
The second tip is don’t get distracted. I am one person who gets distracted easily and especially when it comes to social media.
For example, I need to do some research and along with all of that scrolling on Facebook or Instagram, I get distracted and look at things that have nothing to do with my research. So, don’t be scrolling away and use your time wisely.
If your number one priority is to get more clients on Instagram, one thing that you need to do is to build relationships on the platform. You can do that by engaging with them.
Start by commenting, slide into the DMs and chat away. Start the day with the number one thing to do, followed by a few activities that need to be completed.
Another thing that you can actually get distracted easily is your emails. I have a rule that I usually check my emails after lunch. Previously, I spent all of my energy just replying to every single email, and just reading everything that has nothing to do with my work or the business.
Remember to focus on the tasks and delegate the ones that are low priority or just time-consuming. Eliminate any of the activities that are not needed and if not, delegate.
TIP #3
The third tip is to stop multitasking. I’m guilty of this one because it came to a point where I couldn’t focus and kept making mistakes while doing both tasks.
By the time I redo everything, I’ve taken twice the amount of time to just fix each task and make sure that it is great.
Give yourself a timeframe for completing that particular task. Set a time that you feel comfortable with, and that you’re able to accomplish that task to the best of your ability.
TIP #4
The fourth tip is that you need to know your strengths. Know what you’re good at and focus on your zone of genius.
Ask yourself if you enjoy those tasks and if you don’t, just delegate them. You can easily hire anyone on freelancing websites who enjoys what they’re doing and will be able to do it in a shorter amount of time.
TIP #5
The fifth tip is to ask for help. It is okay to get help. This can be in the form of asking questions in a group. If you are in several Facebook groups, you can ask questions as long as you comply with the rules and regulations.
Joining a group coaching programme can be another way of asking for help. You might even need a coach to have an accountability partner in a one-on-one setting to help you get on in the right direction. This year alone, I’ve invested A LOT in coaches, courses and spending time reading books – it’s help in some way, shape or form that really helped gain clarity and guidance.
The best thing to do is to always ask for help. Trust me, saving that money and spending the time to figure out how to do something will not get you any closer to your goals and dreams. Invest and ask for help.
There you have it, the 5 tips on how to work smart and NOT hard.
P.S.: Ready to ask for help? I’ve opened up a few spots of my SUPER 60 – a 60 minutes deep-dive strategy session to help you grow your business online and get more clients.. Drop me a direct message and let’s talk!