Three Simple Keys for Managing Information & Working Smart (1 of 3)
I wanted to follow-up my earlier blog on working smart and provide some tips on how to work smart.
Let’s start with a definition of just exactly what it is to work smart. Here’s my working definition:
Working smart is a style of working based on the decisions you make and how you manage information in the process.
Sounds simple enough, right? Yet, most of us, with a some help could perform much better.
This blog is going to be short and to the point, but conceptual – and I’m aiming it at those of you who would would like to get more done with less. This is not for those who reframe working smart as making money without working… there’s plenty written about that already.
Sometimes you just need some practical tips. There are some great blogs and web pages out there that cover practical tips that I don’t want to duplicate. See the following as some examples:
Working Smart with teams, General life choices, Saving an hour a day, Working Smart at the office
So let’s get to it. From my point of view, working smart and managing information converge on three basic practices I use. Strengthen any one and you work smarter.
The first basic practice is to Use information (and time) with intentionality. Do it at the start of the day and do it all day long. Think about your outcome and manage the information that will help you get there and let go of the rest. This is essentially a take-off on the idea of think before you act, but it has huge implications when it comes to managing information, since most of us are overly consumed in it.
Here’s what this doesn’t look like – going through the motions on auto-pilot, whether that is working as usual, putting your time in, dutifully reading through your email. Instead, be intentional with how you manage life and information. And yes, that requires that you think, ”What’s most important to accomplish today in terms of outcomes?” and not just work, which leads to the next key… See the next blog for my second tip on working smart.
Bottom Line:
You can affect how much you and others work smart, especially as it interfaces with managing information, by focusing on the following keys:
Link:
Working Smart and the Comfort of Habit
Working Strategically – the Missing 4th Step
Related posts:
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