It’s not always about how hard you work but how much work you actually get done that provides the key to making more money.

Everyone works to achieve success in the form of wealth, recognition or personal satisfaction. But sometimes, plucking more chickens is not the answer. You may have to re-examine your current system of time-management and redistribute your efforts in order to earn more money.

Why is it better to work smarter instead of working harder if you want to make more money?

Working smarter helps boost creativity

If you work excessively hard all day, all week and all month, it’s likely that your creative juices will cease to flow due to sheer exhaustion. To keep your creativity going strong, it’s important to distribute your effort and give yourself some breathing space. Improved creativity leads to better performance.

Working smarter is the key to improved productivity

For example, it’s not realistic for a factory owner to demand that his workers produce more in a shorter time. This invariably destroys productivity at some point as the workers get exhausted after a point. You have to explore other possibilities such as investing in machinery or introducing staggered shifts to increase productivity. Working smarter reduces costs and streamlines production processes.

Working excessively hard depletes energy

You may have to work hard once in a while. But if you push yourself relentlessly, your energy will get depleted and you will not have the stamina to do other jobs. Low energy during work in turn will lead to poor quality of products or service.

Working smarter helps save energy for other tasks. Increased mental and physical energy makes you feel inspired and motivated.

Working smarter is a great way to boost self-esteem

If you have used your thinking and come up with a better way of doing something, it automatically boosts self-esteem. You become more confident of your organisational and problem-solving abilities. Working smarter also inspires you to work smarter the next time you face a challenge.

Working smarter leaves you with more time to do other things

The most significant advantage of working smarter over working harder is that it leaves you with time to spare. You can use your spare time to rest, enjoy leisure activities and spend time with loved ones.

While hard work is an important ingredient for success and wealth, you might want to redirect your focus and energy in a way that accelerates results. What tips would you give for working smarter instead of harder?