Working Smart and Communicating Clearly
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “work smarter, not harder.” If you want to achieve career success, you have to learn how to work smarter. This means understanding yourself and learning how to focus your energy. According to a recent study, 84% of millennials said they’ve experienced burnout at their current job. Burnout often happens when people don’t have the right systems in place to prevent it, they don’t like the environment they’re in, or they don’t feel like their work has meaningful impact.
Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a Soulcast Media | LIVE event on LinkedIn. She interviewed Paula Rizzo, founder, and CEO of List Producer, Inc.
They shared tips and personal stories about working smart while communicating clearly.
1.Working Smart
Working smart doesn’t mean you don’t put in the hard work; instead, it means setting yourself up for success that gives you ROI. During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Paula and Jessica shared several strategies you can use to develop a more thoughtful way of working.
Consider the following:
- Have A Plan – Time is valuable. How you use it determines whether you are generating the biggest impact with your time and effort. One way to ensure you’re being productive and efficient is to have a plan. During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Paula talked about how making lists can help you work smarter. For example, organizing your thoughts will keep you focused during the day so you aren’t left wondering what you should do next. The key is to create a list of things you can accomplish.
- Time Yourself – Have you ever considered how long it takes to accomplish a single task? If not, mind the clock next time. For example, how long does it take for you to go through your emails every morning? Does it take you 15 minutes or 1 hour? How much of it is you toggling between the browser and your inbox? Distractions kill. Learning about yourself and understanding time can help you approach your to-do list more strategically.
2. Deal With Distractions
Inevitably, distractions will come up. As much as you want to be intentional with your time, there will be a phone call, a knock on the door, or a co-worker who needs help. During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Jessica, and Paula talked about ways to successfully deal with distractions without letting them keep you from getting your work done efficiently.
Consider the following:
- Distraction Placeholder – One way to keep yourself focused is to create a distraction placeholder. For example, let’s say you are right in the middle of writing a proposal when the doorbell rings. During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Paula shared how when this happens, she has a space in her notebook where she can write down exactly what she was doing before she answers the door. This way, when she returns to her desk, she can look and see where she left off. When you return to your desk, you might often see 20 new emails, or a missed call. All of these things can distract you from finishing your proposal. When you have a distraction placeholder, you can immediately get back to finishing your work.
- Set A Mantra – Your day might be filled with meetings, phone calls, and so much more. However, there may be things you absolutely need to get done. You can set a mantra for what you need to do to stay focused. For example, your mantra could be “Create my report.” You say it out loud, which can help with reminding yourself of the most important thing you need to get done.
Did you know it can take up to 26 minutes to get back on track after you’ve been distracted? Learning how to deal with distractions will help you learn how to work smarter.
3. Clear Communication
Clear communication is critical when it comes to working smarter. Part of working smart is learning how to communicate your message so others can understand your intention, your impact and your contributions. During the Souclast Media | LIVE, Jessica and Paula shared how they honed their communication skills and how you can use what they’ve learned and apply it to your work.
Consider the following:
- Understand Your Audience – When you think about your message, one of the first things you need to ask yourself is, who is your audience? What do they need to hear? For example, if you are speaking with your manager, they most likely do not need to know every single detail about your project. However, if you are speaking with your those you manage, they may need to know all the details to perform their jobs. Always tailor your communications to what people care about because that is how you will earn their ears.
- Say It Out Loud – During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Jessica, and Paula talked about how what you write doesn’t always translate well into verbal communications. You want your audience to be interested and engaged when you speak. That means if you are putting together a presentation and have a script, read that script outloud and think: would I really say this if i was talking? It’s all about being conversational to create engagement.
Working smart, being productive and precise with your speaking is an art. Being intentional is how you can find a strategy that works best for you.
Check out Jessica’s Youtube Channel if you want to see the full version of this Soulcast Media | LIVE conversation.
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