4 Ways to Work Smarter
In today’s fast-paced world, the hustle culture often demands more of our time and attention. We’re taught that we must always be busy; doing more, seeking more, wanting more. This mindset can turn us into slaves of the system, overworking our bodies and minds, and labeling rest as laziness. However, this approach contradicts Islamic principles.
Islam encourages moderation in all aspects of life. We are taught to seek sustenance through legitimate means while relying on Allah, creating a balanced life where we work as needed and make time for our families, souls, and communities.
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Be moderate in seeking from the world, for everyone will be facilitated towards what has been decreed for him in it.” (al-Bayhaqī 10501)
Part of this moderation involves finding ways to earn well without overexerting ourselves. In modern terms, this is known as working smarter. This concept isn’t new; it was practiced by past empires and is still prevalent in many parts of the world. In these cultures, people focus on tasks that yield maximum results with minimal effort, allowing more time for family, community, and worship.
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Here are four ways to start working smarter today:
Identify Your 80/20
The 80/20 principle, or Pareto Principle, suggests that approximately 20% of our efforts yield 80% of our results. In other words, a small portion of our actions often produces the majority of our outcomes. For instance, 20% of clients may generate 80% of revenue, or 20% of daily tasks may account for 80% of progress.
While this principle may not be universally applicable, it highlights a common trend. Take time to identify the tasks that bring the most significant results and prioritize them. By focusing on these high-impact activities, you can achieve more in less time, freeing up moments for what truly matters.
Delegate, Automate, and Eliminate Tasks
Modern work often includes tasks that are merely busywork, activities that give the illusion of productivity without adding real value. To work smarter, consider the following strategies:
Eliminate: Identify and remove tasks that don’t contribute to your goals. For instance, unnecessary meetings or redundant paperwork can be minimized or eliminated to save time and energy.
Delegate: If someone else can perform a task as well as or better than you, delegate it. For example, tasks like editing or graphic design might be better suited for specialists in those areas.
Automate: Leverage technology to handle repetitive tasks. With advancements in AI and various tools, you can automate processes like scheduling, payments, and marketing, reducing your daily workload.
Focus on one thing at a time
A core factor that affects productivity today is doing too much at once. Many of us multitask, and when working in an office environment, there are often many distractions getting in the way of productivity. At any given time, you could be trying to answer an email, while taking a call, dealing with a co-worker, and sorting through some papers. This kind of multitasking reduces efficiency, lowers the quality of the work, and wastes time. A smarter way to work is to focus on one task at at time, and to avoid all distractions during that time.
If you plan to write, block out time for writing. That time should be dedicated entirely to writing and nothing else. Do not allow any other tasks, unless urgent and necessary, to interfere with your writing. An hour of intensive focused writing produces far better quality work than three hours of distracted writing. Do this for every important task. Dedicate a time for each task, and it will get done faster with better quality.
Figure out your peak performance hours
Many people feel pressurized to do their most important work early in the morning. Some do it because they learned that you must prioritize your most important tasks. Others do it to catch the morning barakah (blessings). Prioritizing does not mean doing it early in the morning, but simply making time for it. We catch the morning barakah by praying Fajr on time, doing our morning worship and starting our day early.
People differ in their peak performance times. Some people are early birds and get their best work done early in the morning. Others are night owls and are deep in their work while others are deep in their sleep. A third personality type are those who are groggy in the morning, tired at night, and most alert in the afternoon. It is important to figure out your personal peak performance time, so you can assign your most important tasks to that time.
When I was younger, I used to force myself to write after Fajr, trying to catch the barakah. As I grew wiser, writing after Fajr became impractical, and I realized I do my best work in the afternoon. So I flipped my schedule. Now I do smaller tasks like answering emails, planning my day, and reading early in the morning. My afternoons, however, are saved for writing and teaching. This allows me to produce better quality writings and classes.
Plan and Reflect
The above four tips are enough to change your life. Implement each of them into your work life, and you will find yourself producing better work in less time, freeing up time for family, community, health, and God. Implementing these four principles, figuring out your 80/20, delegating/automating/eliminating tasks, focusing on one thing at a time, and aligning work with peak performance hours, can transform your productivity.
Make time at the beginning and end of each day to plan accordingly. Plan your day ahead using these four principles. At the end of each day and week, reflect on what works and what is not working. Use those reflections to strategize and find better ways to achieve peak performance. Remember that true productivity is not spending all day and night working. True productivity is achieve great results with less effort, so you have time for the things that really matter in life.
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