Did you know that 60% or less of work time is actually spent productively? This is because we often forget  that more is not always better. Research suggests that after about 4 hours of focused concentration or intensive practice, there is little or no benefit to any additional practice. So the key to working smarter is to do more in less time … Instead of working in a continuous marathon, use interval sprints as your new ideal.

In practical terms, this means doing focused work for 60-120 minutes, followed by at least 15 minutes of real recovery. Remember, people aren’t like machines! Working smarter respects the 3 R’s: rest, recreation and recovery. In the words of A. Ericsson:

“To maximize gains from long-term practice, individuals must avoid exhaustion and must limit practice to an amount from which they can recover on a daily or weekly basis.”

How will you implement a new habit to help you work smarter in the days and weeks ahead?