46 Simple Ways to Work Faster – Not Harder

Hey, have you ever wished you could work faster?

Have you thought, “If only I had more hours in the day!”?

It seems that in today’s world, we never have enough time to get everything done.

We feel the pressure mounting, constantly checking off tasks on our ever-growing to-do lists.

But here’s a little secret – it’s not about having more time, but rather about how we use the time we already have.

In this blog post, I will share my best tips to work faster and help you wrap up your day earlier. Are you ready?

Why is it important to work faster?

First off, working faster is your golden ticket to reducing your workload and using your time more effectively.

Think about it: Why would you spend hours on a task when you can wrap it up quickly and efficiently?

Speeding up your work gives you more time for what matters — leisure, family, or other projects. This is especially important when you’re drowning in work or rushing from deadline to deadline.

Plus, being swift at what you do is a major stress buster!

Knowing that you can tackle tasks quickly and efficiently will make you feel less burdened and give you more time to focus on other pursuits.

Let’s face it — there’s nothing more nerve-wracking than a lingering task stuck on your to-do list.

Work fast, and you’ll clear that task quickly, leaving the stress behind and allowing yourself to move on to other things.

And guess what?

There’s one more interesting perk: speedy work helps you enhance your work performance.

You boost your overall performance when you churn out tasks in record time.

This can be particularly important if you’re in a job where your output directly correlates with success — like sales or customer service.

Excellence isn’t just about doing more; it’s about working smarter and faster.

The reward?

You’re setting yourself up for greater recognition, and it might just give you a nudge up that career ladder you’ve been eyeing!

Excellence comes from doing more, and with faster work, you’ll receive a higher appraisal and a better chance of climbing the career ladder.

So, are you ready to work smarter, not harder?

46 ways to work faster

Here are 46 practical tips and suggestions to put that extra turbo in your work.

Try a few of them and see your productivity increase.

46 easy ways to work faster:

1. Set priorities: Create a to-do list and rank your tasks by importance. Focus on the most important task first to ensure you get it done in the best and fastest way possible.
2. Eat That Frog: Tackle the most important task first. Once you’ve conquered your metaphorical ‘frog,’ everything else will feel like a piece of cake.
3. Avoid distractions: Keep those pesky distractions at bay while working. Turn off your phone, close irrelevant browser tabs, and dodge any distractions that could slow you down.
4. Single-Task: The cool kids aren’t multitasking anymore—they’re single-tasking! Dive deep into one task at a time, leading to better results and less mental fatigue.
5. Adopt the 2-minute rule: If a task takes two minutes or less to finish, do it immediately.
6. Delegate tasks: Attempting to do everything by yourself can slow you down. Ease your load and work faster by delegating tasks to others; it’s all about teamwork.
7. Automate tasks: Use tools or scripts to automate recurring tasks instead of doing them manually. Work smarter, my friend!
8. Use time management tools: Embrace tools like the Pomodoro Technique to optimize your work time and hone your focus on tasks.
9. Develop a routine: Craft a routine to work faster and more efficiently. Try starting and ending your most important task at the same time each day. Consistency is key!
10. Improve your skills: Learning never stops. Brush up on new skills or sharpen existing ones. Invest in improving your skills and knowledge in your field to work faster and more efficiently.
11. Take regular breaks: Regular breaks help prevent fatigue and keep your focus sharp. Stretch, relax, or take a short walk to recharge.
12. Power Naps: A quick 20-minute power nap can replenish your energy.
13. Power mornings: Start your day with positivity — meditation, gratitude, etc. A mindful morning can lead to a more productive day.
14. Batch Processing: Group similar tasks together and knock them out in one go. It’s quicker and allows your brain to reach a focused ‘flow’ state.
15. Outline Task Before You Begin: A clear roadmap can speed you up. Outline your work before diving in or, in other words, know your destination before starting the journey.
16. Set Deadlines: Internal deadlines give a sense of urgency even for non-time-sensitive tasks. But remember, these are tools and techniques, not chains. Be flexible.
17. Conduct a Time Audit: Look out for time thieves! Regularly checking where you spend your time can help identify what’s slowing you down.
18. Communicate through your Calendar: Build explicit ‘green times’ in your schedule for responding to calls, texts, and emails. Outside these times, ignore notifications and maintain your focus.
19. Be resilient: Some days will be more challenging than others. Embrace this, learn from it, and come back even stronger. That’s resilience.
20. Recognize Progress: Pat yourself on the back every now and then. Recognizing your progress keeps you motivated.
21. Create templates: Save time by creating templates for frequently used documents or emails.
22. Use automation tools: Free up your time from tasks like email sending, meeting planning, or report making using automation tools.
23. Use keyboard shortcuts: Sounds simple, but trust me—shortcuts shave off incredible amounts of time in the long run. Master ‘Ctrl+C’ and its friends!
24. Embrace cloud technology: With cloud technology, you can access your files and projects from anywhere in the world. Now, that’s efficiency!
25. Optimize your workspace: A well-organized and distraction-free workspace will do wonders for your productivity. But remember to do your work instead of cleaning all day.
26. Hone your communication skills: Better communication skills lead to more effective teamwork and faster progress.
27. Plan your time wisely: Spend your time on high-value tasks and avoid unnecessary delays to save time.
28. Reach Out for Support: If you need help with a task, don’t hesitate to get some support.
29. Try the Eisenhower Method: Prioritize your tasks and put the most crucial and urgent ones in the forefront. Remember, only some things deserve your immediate attention.
30. Learn to Say No: Time is our most precious asset. Avoid processes and tasks that do nothing but eat yours. Dig deep and question if all the things you’re doing right now are truly necessary.
31. Focus: Concentration is the heart of productivity. Ditch multitasking and embrace undivided attention. Try techniques like meditation to improve your concentration power.
32. SMART Goals: Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals. These clear targets will keep you on the fast track.
33. Use Checklists: Keep track of your progress and make sure nothing slips through the cracks with handy checklists.
34. Work in Time Blocks: Break your work into short, sharply focused time segments. The Pomodoro Technique or similar methods are a great place to start.
35. Reflect and Optimize: Regular reflections can highlight the areas for improvement. Don’t fear change—it’s progress in disguise!
36. Think Strategically: Long-term thinking and clear plans can do wonders. Allocate your time and resources intelligently for lasting success.
37. Create a Work Plan: Having daily, weekly, or monthly work plans can help you keep your tasks and goals in focus.
38. Reduce Meetings: Not all meetings are worth the time. Seek out other effective ways to communicate and save everyone’s time.
39. Embrace the 80/20 Rule: Focus on the vital few. Applying the Pareto principle, concentrate on the top 20% of your tasks that yield 80% of the results.
40. Set Reminders: Never miss out on important tasks or dates with handy reminders.
41. Use music: Music can significantly boost your productivity. Find the genre that works best for you.
42. Prioritize Health: Mental and physical health plays a pivotal role in productivity. Maintain a balanced diet, sleep well, and commit to regular exercise.
43. Exercise Regularly: A bit of a sweat session can actually speed you up. Regular physical activity pumps up your energy levels and mental agility!
44. Ditch Perfectionism: There’s a big difference between ‘perfect’ and ‘good enough.’ Recognize when further refinement isn’t adding value and know when to move on. Remember, it’s okay not to be perfect all the time.
45. Learn from Mistakes: Mistakes happen. They are all part of your growth process! The important thing is what you learn from them and how you change your behavior afterward.
46. Think Outside the Box: Be open to creative solutions and ideas—these are the ingredients for innovation.

Remember, it’s not always about working faster but working smarter.

Also, every journey, including this one, is conquered step by step. So don’t rush yourself.

Your value isn’t determined by how fast you can tick off tasks from a list. Take care of yourself, keep growing, and everything will fall into place.

You’re capable of immense greatness—not because you’re racing against time, but because you’re using it intelligently.

Use time sprints!

Ever heard of “time sprints”?

It’s a simple trick to get those smaller tasks done quicker.

The aim is to tackle trivial tasks within a breezy ten minutes or less.

See, time’s a crafty thief, and there’s always a lengthy list of to-dos. You don’t want to give more energy to the little things than they deserve.

Picture this—you have a swarm of emails to reply to, and quite a few aren’t that important.

Plan a 10-minute time sprint, roll up your sleeves, and dive in. You’d aim to answer as many of those emails as possible in the time slot. Trust me, you’ll be amazed at how efficient you can be in these compact time windows!

By whipping out this strategy often, you could even snatch back 90 minutes more in your day. Just imagine all the time and energy you’ll have left to focus on the truly meaningful tasks — and let’s not forget the sweet boost in productivity!

The thing to remember is that minor stuff does need to be taken care of, but as swiftly as possible.

Your time is precious and that to-do list is long. So, investing unnecessary energy into less crucial tasks isn’t the way to go.

Remember – focus on what matters most to you. You’ve got this!

Work Faster Conclusion

Here’s a thing to keep in mind: We all work differently.

You’re unique, with your own style and rhythm, which means the techniques and tools that work wonders for one person might not work for you. So experiment!

Try out various tips and see what turbocharges your efficiency and complements your work style best.

Remember, it’s about finding your pattern and tempo.

You’ve got this. Keep pushing forward. And always remember your ‘why’.

What you’re doing matters. Always trust in your journey!

For more, get my free productivity e-book or join the HowHabit accountability program.