Being a smart worker

According to experts, it’s important to plan, multi-task, be adaptable and efficient to be a smart worker
Apeksha Kaushik, TimesJobs.com Bureau 
Edison said a genius is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration. But, this philosophy seems to be changing in the context of a world where improvement, innovation and intelligence is the basic mantra for being a genius. Here a few experts advise you on how to work smartly and to achieve good results for yourself and your organisation. 
Be more adaptable to change. Every change gives you the opportunity to move ahead quicker than those who cannot adapt themselves to the change. As Ashish Arora, MD – HR Anexi puts it, “Change is inevitable, but one must learn to maintain focus on the current task while adapting to it. The best approach is to view change as an opportunity to improve yourself and your capabilities.”
Reducing timelines in everything you do. Try to cut out, reduce, speed-up or combine steps in your every day tasks to find more efficient and quicker ways of doing it. Affirmed Tejas Sheth, Country Manager, AsiaPowercom, “Working smart is the mantra. Things have to be done first time right. Time is no more a luxury; so, one will have to finish work in time. Manpower is becoming expensive. Hence, efficiency needs to be increased.”
Plan ahead as much as possible. Like the best chess players, think ahead and prepare yourself mentally before you take any step. This will help in saving time and avoiding costly mistakes. “A plan is your grip on the future. Planning ahead forces you to be clear and realistic about your goals. During implementation, you may find yourself adjusting to the dynamics of reality, but your plan can help you stay on track and serve as a fall back strategy,” says Arora.
Find role models. Be on the constant lookout for people who get more done in less time and with fewer resources than others. Learn from them. “Role models are essential for striking a chord of motivation within the workers for making them perform better by working smartly in the future. They act as a source of inspiration to make us perform our duties with unending zeal and zest,” said Alka Gupta, MD, British Academy for English Language (BAFEL).
Multitask wisely. Know when to multitask and when not to. It is smart to multitask with routine jobs, but detailed, risky and dangerous projects should be done one at a time. “Being jack of all trades is good, but that should not be an excuse to be mediocre at workplace. To make yourself stand out of the crowd you need to master at least in one discipline,” says Deepak Kaistha, Managing Partner- Planman HR.
Keep track of the latest technology. Allow technology to help you work harder at working smarter. “Internet and mobility has changed the way business is done. Technologies like data mining and analytics have enhanced the ability to understand customer and issues muck quicker and precise,” underlined Shibu Paul, Country National Sales Manager, Array Networks.
Learn from your mistakes. You’re smart if you can learn from your mistakes, you’re intelligent if you can learn from others mistakes – but you’re wise if you can do both. “Smart people learn from their own mistakes and wise people learn from others mistakes. The world has less patience, hence let’s become wiser fast,” says Sheth.
It’s hard work to even pick up these habits and to strike the much coveted balance between working hard and working smart!