Save precious time and energy by learning how to work smarter.
If we want to grow as leaders, there is no sugar-coating it: we need to develop good time management and productivity skills.
We can fill our plate with a gigantic list of to-do tasks and action plans or we can learn to work smarter.
The thing is, you can be efficient at your job but not effective, viceversa or even, both.
In order to work smarter, I encourage you to shift your focus from excelling at everything to excelling at strategic goals.
Effectiveness implies doing the right things by creating a strategy, thinking about the end result and completing targeted activities while maximizing your time, energy and resources.
Efficiency is about doing things, any kind of task, the right way. You can be efficient at strategy implementation, the way things are done.
But, you can also be efficient at work and still get to nowhere without a clear strategic plan.
You can be effective at work and follow a strategy but still have troubles achieving your goals without a clear set of personal/brand values, systems and workflows.
How to be more effective?
Be clear on what you want.
Your current list of tasks is a roadmap of where your attention is. Figure out which one of those actually get you closer to what you want. Identify what do you want to achieve and start scheduling those goals, tasks and activities into your calendar.
Become a master of your time.
Start tracking how you spend your day. Make a list of your time wasters, bad habits and emotional or mind blocks preventing you from focusing. Ask yourself how or why you are prone to procrastinate. To learn more about time management, read my post: Time Management 101.
Focus.
Once you follow the second step you will be more aware of your distractions. The other side of the coin is to understand what are your motivational triggers. What is your end goal? How do you ultimately want to feel, do or live? Make those answers become your gasoline to direct your vital energy (thoughts, words, actions and more).
Strategic Goal-Setting
Ok, after having a clear view of your current personal and professional situation it is time to start setting S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) and developing a strategic plan. A strategic plan is different than an action plan.
A plan is…
- Short-term
- Focused on achieving one objective
- Static in nature
- Organized action steps
A strategy is…
- Long-term
- Focused on achieving several objectives
- Dynamic in nature
- Evolving with several plans and options
- Organized taking in consideration people, time, efforts and resources
- Open to situation and risk analysis
Develop a strategy that focuses your time, energy and resources on achieving goals that will lead you to your desired end result. To learn more about time management, read my post: Plan vs. Strategy
Plan Ahead.
And then, plan ahead. Plan ahead with a simple and direct set of personal and brand values, habits, goals in relationship with your business vision, culture, systems and workflows.
So, at which stage are you? Want to get unstuck with a strategic plan?
Book a free 15 min. clarity call with me here.
Natalia Bonilla 
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