Let me get right to the point: you probably do a lot of things that don't matter much. In fact, chances are that up until now you have felt that everything is very important. In many cases, this means you are working hard, but not always smart. In this blog, I'd like to give you concrete tips on how to can work smarter, not harder.

The 80/20 rule and the 5/50 rule

When I talk more about working smarter, I like to refer to the 80/20 rule. The rule states that 80% of a company's revenue comes from the top 20% of a customer base. In addition, the 5/50 line. This rule states that the top 5% of your customers are responsible for 50% of your revenue.

These percentage ratios insightfully reflect the importance of focusing on the important things, your income-producing activities (IPAs). Too much time simply goes into tasks that produce little to nothing. For example, I see clients who spend days on the dots and commas on their website. Often this yields less than the time you spend on it. Therefore, it's time to become aware of this and eliminate tasks.

Do you want to know which tasks bring you high impact and revenue and which to-do's bring you low impact and revenue? Ask yourself these concrete questions to find out:

• Which pursuits give you the best results?
• What things would you like to do more of because you know it would benefit your life?
• With which pursuits do you make the most impact and make money?
• Which things help you move forward the most?

By becoming aware of the above issues, you can more quickly separate the wheat from the chaff. 

How do I get more done in a day?

Before you know whether a task is a must, it's good to know what is important to you. Besides money, this could mean free time or better health. 

Once you have this clear, it is important to get started on the important tasks as productively as possible. After all, nothing is as annoying as the "oh-it-is-already-half-4 feeling. These 4 tips will help you work smarter, so that you can get to your tasks and experience more peace in the workplace.

Dare to cut knots

Some decisions consume a lot of time and energy. Even - or perhaps especially - when you put them off, they continue to simmer in the background. I can tell you from experience that it's often not so much about whether you go left or right as it is about choosing a side. Setting your course strategically keeps your business moving. Does consideration feel crucial to your company's survival? Ask other business owners or colleagues for feedback or share the question with a Business Strategist (you know where to find my inbox. ;-))

Take good care of yourself

You can only do optimal business if you also pay sufficient attention to yourself privately. So invest in a healthy diet, enough exercise and enough sleep. After all, lack of sleep makes you less productive. Get enough sleep and make sure you can sleep in silence, with enough fresh air and in the dark.

Relax in between

Many entrepreneurs have lunch at their desks or just quickly in the car because they constantly have that hunting feeling. This form of stress has a negative impact on our ability to concentrate. This results in lower productivity and in addition we make more mistakes. A moment of rest can be the solution. During your break, walk to the supermarket for a healthy lunch or do some breathing exercises at your workplace. You will see that you actually end up saving time because you get more done in less time.

Set concrete goals

Start the day with a concrete to-do list. What tasks do you want to get done? Overview gets you straight to your goal and leaves less room for noise on the line. 

How can you complete necessary tasks faster?

Of course, some to-do's are out there. Still, there are several ways you can tackle them, namely;

Automate the tasks

Much of my accounting and billing is automated through Quickstart. You have to set it up right once, but then it saves you a lot of work. 

Save tasks

By grouping tasks together, you won't be constantly tempted to pick up little to-do's. For example, my advice is to open and respond to all emails only once a day, pay your bills once every two weeks, or if you're comfortable, schedule your social media all at once through a scheduling tool like Buffer.

Outsource certain tasks

In the blog 'Saving time as an entrepreneur' I already went into this in more detail. It can save a lot of time when you dare to outsource tasks that you don't like or that take up a lot of your time. Of course it costs you money to hire someone, but in many cases you can use that precious time for jobs that you are very good at. Strategically working smarter on the things that matter. That way, in most cases, you fully recoup the investment. You definitely gain time and energy in return. Both of which are precious, so use them well.

Be extra critical

Take a good walk through your to-do list and see if you can cut out to-do's. Many things we do are out of habit, but are they really necessary? Does it add anything to your business? 

Working smarter: I stopped doing this myself

I, too, sometimes tend to pick up unimportant tasks. Therefore, I have a list of activities or habits that I no longer do. Meanwhile, it's a sport for me to be productive and see which actions cause noise on the line.  

This allows social media to demand my full attention. Who The Social Dilemma has watched (highly recommended!), understands why. After all, thousands of bright minds are thinking daily about how to maximize your engagement on social media. That's why I have agreed with myself that I am "allowed" to be on social media three times a day.

In addition, I think about why I am opening the app in advance. That way I avoid aimless scrolling and get the most out of my social media use. For example, for me it is important to connect with potential customers. I figure out in advance how much time I can spend on social media and set a timer. The book Online influence, where you read how to apply behavioral psychology for better online results is also highly recommended, by the way.