{"id":237,"date":"2014-08-14T07:24:07","date_gmt":"2014-08-14T07:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/employeesmatter.co.uk\/?p=237"},"modified":"2017-01-30T10:22:54","modified_gmt":"2017-01-30T10:22:54","slug":"how-to-work-smarter-not-harder-and-leave-work-on-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/employeesmatter.co.uk\/how-to-work-smarter-not-harder-and-leave-work-on-time\/","title":{"rendered":"How to work smarter not harder, and leave work on time!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Go home on time day is on the 24th of September and is part of National Work Life Balance Week.<\/p>\n

Thank you to Working Families UK<\/a> for these great tips on improving the way you work so that you too can go home on time, not just on September 24 but all the time!<\/p>\n

How to work harder not smarter<\/h2>\n

1 \u2013 Start small.<\/strong> Choose one particular day to start with, perhaps a Thursday, and make this \u201cthe\u201d day you organise your work more carefully and leave work on time. Keep working on your productivity skills and gradually add more days, until you\u2019re just working the hours you want and are accomplishing even better results.<\/p>\n

2 \u2013 Stop going along with unspoken office \u201crules\u201d<\/strong>. Instead, commit to stopping work on time. Who decided that you had to work until 7pm? How much is your personal time worth?<\/p>\n

3 \u2013 Set up activities to do with your family\/friends outside of work<\/strong> for when you get home, so you learn to enjoy things other than work.<\/p>\n

4 \u2013 Do not take work home with you.<\/strong> Train your brain to stop thinking about all the things you have to get done, who you have to call, what meetings you have to set up, and what reports are due tomorrow.<\/p>\n

5 \u2013 Make sure your work phone is switched off<\/strong> so you can give your family\/friends your undivided attention.<\/p>\n

6 \u2013 Make it a team building activity<\/strong> that everyone ensures and supports each others needs to leave on time on this particular day.<\/p>\n

7 \u2013 Be efficient in the work you do<\/strong>. Set sensible limits on your work so that it doesn\u2019t eat up the rest of your life.\u00a0Evaluate the impact of the various types of work you do. Cut back on work which gives relatively little benefit for the time invested.<\/p>\n

8 \u2013 Make the most of your prime time<\/strong>. We all have a particular time of day when we have lots of energy and enthusiasm and a greater ability to think and concentrate. Work out when you are at your most effective and tackle your most important work then.<\/p>\n

9 \u2013 Ideally, start meetings right after lunch<\/strong>. Block out your diary from 4pm every day so people don\u2019t schedule late meetings with you. And don\u2019t ask others to begin projects at 4:45pm \u2013 respect their right to a life outside work too.<\/p>\n

10 \u2013 Schedule \u201cworking\u201d time<\/strong>. Block off certain hours in your diary for answering messages and getting work done and only accept meetings outside these times (and not last thing at night)<\/p>\n

See more tips on going home on time on the Working Families UK website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To kick start change at your work place get in touch with Employees Matter<\/a> to design a bespoke program to improve productivity and work practices. Say no to a culture of long hours for long hours sake!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Is your work place mentally fit?<\/a><\/h3>\n
By zoe<\/a><\/span> \u00b7 July 10, 2014<\/span> \u00b7 0 Comments<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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If you were not able to attend the Employees Matter Mental Health Awareness breakfast, here are some of the key recommendations and a bit more about the people who made them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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