Working Smart And Not Hard

A friend of mine said to me that another friend of hers told her, my friend, to work smart and not hard. My friend wasn't sure what her friend meant. The phrase sounded to her like one of those inane things one read on Facebook.

So I made a list describing smart work:

1. Do what is necessary and definitely no more. See if every work allocated to you can be turned away, avoided or delegated to someone else.
2. Talk often about what you did so that people give you recognition. Definitely do not do things in such a way that no one knows your contribution. I am reminded of an old quote: "Doing things in such a fashion is like peeing in your dark pants. You will feel warm but no one notices."
3. Talk often about your personal problems. So people are aware that you are human and don't think of you immediately when there is something to be done and dump the job on you.
4. Do a thing only when you have been repeatedly asked and when it is becoming urgent for the other person. Never do things when they are not urgent. When you need help urgently and someone helps you, you feel so grateful. You don't appreciate as much when someone helps you when your need isn't that urgent.
5. Do not do anything if there is no reward for doing it...or if not doing it gets you no punishment. Don't do such work at all.
6. Never ever decline when someone asks you something. Mention the issues you have and let the other person decide how you can help. Most people will empathise with you and reduce their expectation from you or go away. Always mention that you intend to help and that you will pray that their issues will get resolved. You can read how the Contessa responded to Tim, in Erich Segal's Acts of Faith, when Tim asks her to donate.

Remember smart work is more about setting expectations about what you need and what not to ask you than actually working your a** off. And defending yourself from others trying these same things with you. Even if you don't follow these remember, as Yossarian said in Catch-22, others will be doing it to you anyway.

Smartness is about maximizing one's ROI (Return on investment). Essentially you have to seem like a benefactor while you actively endeavor to be a beneficiary. Develop a fine balance between maintaining a high brand image that makes people hesitant to approach you for favors while at the same time trying to sound weak and poor so people feel motivated to do good to you. 

My friend is happy with this list. 

Additional reading:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelritlop/2016/12/28/6-tips-on-working-smart-not-hard-this-year/