summary of work smarter not harder
This book (or idea) helps you maximize efficiency by means of habit, attitude, and workflow optimization, enabling more in less time. The main strategies are broken out here in a condensed form:
Essential Values
The 80/20 Rule—Pareto Principle
Pay attention to the twenty percent of projects that produce eighty percent of the outcomes.
Delegate low-impact tasks or eliminate them yourself.
Time Blocking
Set one- to three-hour deep work sessions for high-priority projects.
Steer clear of multitasking since it 40% less efficient (American Psychological Association).
Two Minutes Rule: From Getting Things Done
If a job takes two minutes, start right away.
Eisenhower System
Sort jobs according to importance or urgency.
Do (important and urgent)
Plan (Not Urgent but Crucially Important)
Assign (Urgent but Not Very Important)
Remove (Neither)
Groups
To reduce context-switching, cluster related chores (emails, calls, errands).
Automate and assign.
Outsource repetitive tasks and use tools (Zapier, Calendly).
Management of Energy > Management of Time
Work during most people’s morning, during prime energy hours.
Take breaks—that is, the Pomodoro Technique. 25 minutes of work, five minutes of rest.
Single-Tasking
According to Stanford studies, multitaskers are more unfocused and less productive.
Rule of No
Gently turn down non-essential requests to save focus time.
Streamline Workspace
Clear clutter; use ergonomic configurations to increase focus.
Reduce decision fatigue
Simplify decisions (like Steve Jobs’ famous black turtleneck).
Weekly Review Notes
Think back on development, modify objectives, and schedule the next week.
Minimalism Digital
Turn off alerts; block distractions with programs like Freedom.
Mel Robbins’s five-second rule
Within five seconds, act toward goals to avoid procrastinating.
Parkinson’s Law:
Establish stricter deadlines to prevent work from growing to occupy time.
Habit stacking
Combine new behaviors with old ones (such as meditating following dental work).
Measure Not Hours, Not Years
Track time spent against results (tasks finished).
Rest in line.
Sleep seven to nine hours; naps improve cognition (NASA research).
Important Learnables
Emphasize leverage points—high-impact chores.
Cut waste—unneeded meetings, distractions.
Work with your biology, the of rest and energy cycles.
Systems > Willpower (automate routines)