KAIZEN: 5 TIPS TO WORK SMARTER VS. HARDER
Each individual KANE timepiece designed in Amsterdam is created with the purpose of enabling you to focus on the essentials of your life, helping to keep you on time and on track towards your goals. We understand that doing both of these things, finding time and focus, can be a challenge, especially within a world where technology and communication are causing everything to accelerate. Yet, many things stay the same. One of these is the notion that working harder equals more results. However, is it because we are so used to working hard that we forget to step back and ask if we could be working smarter? At KANE, we believe that the answer to maximizing your productivity and efficiency is to analyze the situation and ask ourselves how we can execute in a way that enables us to work smarter over harder. Just like your KANE watch, which focuses on the essentials such as a minimalist inspired watch face and interchangeable straps that make it super easy for you to customize your style, smarter often means more than harder. Thus, this week our 5 Tips feature is all about how to work smarter vs harder. If you noticed our Facebook post on Wednesday you will be nice and prepared for the following tips and suggestions. Enjoy the read.
“It’s because we’re so used to working hard that we forget to step back and ask if we could be working smarter.”
1. UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF YOUR TIME
In any given moment you could be doing a billion different things. However as we like to preach at KANE, in order to make the steps that you desire it is critical to focus on the essential. In order to work smarter the first move is to recognize what your time is worth and evaluate the order of tasks ahead of you. Is there someone else who can help you complete a task better and cheaper? Is someone else better suited to performing the work? If the answer to these questions is yes, than you should place your focus towards the places that truly require your attention. Filter out what is important and what is not.
2. CREATE AND STICK TO A ROUTINE
"We are creatures of habit, and so are our brains. When we establish routines, we can carry out tasks faster since we don't have to 'think' about the task - or prepare for it - as much, and can work on autopilot.” – Hallie Crawford, Career Coach
As Hallie Crawford states, the necessity of having a well-rounded routine and actually sticking to it can have huge benefits towards your productivity. Giving yourself a proper amount of sleep (8 hours at least as we discussed in a previous 5 Tips feature) and pushing yourself to wake up early and set goals for the day instantly puts you ahead of the pack.
3. AUTOMATE MORE TASKS
Want to know the secret of getting more done? Reduce the amount of decisions you have to make throughout the day. Ever wondered why successful individuals like Mark Zuckerberg wear the same outfit for years? They don’t have the time to think about what jeans or shirt to wear as it is not essential to their goals. So Automate! If you spend energy deciding something that is not essential to your day, you will have less energy to solve a challenge that is fundamental to your success. Having a routine or building habits that enable you to decide automatically lets you focus all of your precious energy and time on critical actions. And yes, just in case you are wondering, choosing a strap to compliment your watch face in the morning is so quick and easy with our quick-release system that it wont hinder any of your time while making sure you look and feel on point!
4. STOP MULTITASKING
You can’t multitask, simple as that. If you say that you can then you are most likely deluding yourself and you are probably switching from task to task thinking you are paying attention to the tasks at hand. In reality it is scientifically proven that your brain struggles to focus when multitasking. Battling the urge to multitask requires self-discipline and effort. What we would recommend is to allocate a set time to work on one task using your KANE watch to guide you. Once your time is up, take a breather or a nap and then focus on getting the next most essential task done.
5. TAKE NAPS
As Drake the rapper says, “ I don’t take naps, me and the money are way to attached to go and do that.” Now in the position where Drake is in his music career he might not need to rest, however for the rest of us sleeping a little is a must. In fact, research shows naps lead to improvement in cognitive function, creative thinking, and memory performance. In particular, napping helps you to retain information better as memories are pushed into the Neocortex (the brains most permanent storage) preventing them from being overwritten. Working too hard can cause burnout, but allocating reasonable time to rest will empower you to constantly take in new information and be effective with it.
Working smarter vs. harder is the future. This idea is translated across all our designs at KANE as we continuously strive for developing functional, efficient and practical watches. Everything that constitutes a KANE is there for a reason. From the crown at 4am to the hardened mineral crystal glass of our watch faces, every piece has a purpose, to help you focus on the things that really matter in your life, your time.
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