Eating frogs and working smart

I am currently embroiled in the University-wide joy that is the exam period. The library is full and the campus is occupied mostly by people who look like they've had a few too many coffees and not enough sleep. Stand still for more than 30 seconds and you will invariably here the low drone of nervous candidates discussing their various exam hurdles and how best to tackle them without coming a cropper.


Personally I think it is all a bit silly, and I have a question for all those currently tearing their hair out. How much time do you spend working and how much time do you spend stressing? All too often people seem to think that hunching behind a mound of paper and hastily assembled text books will allow them to magically absorb a wealth of required information. Lever arch folders become shields and post it note deployment becomes a strategic art form.


What should we really be doing? Well my argument comes back the old adage of "Working smart, not hard". Ever had someone in your class or office who manages to turn up with minutes to spare before a deadline or meeting and pull together what you consider to be a "fluke" in the form of a brilliant performance. If you look a little closer, chances are it was no fluke, they simply work on a plane of efficiency most of us don't even know exists.


Today's alchemy is turning time into gold. It is sitting down and bashing out a piece of coursework after just the right amount of further reading. It is pulling together a powerpoint a few hours before the meeting which looks polished but is still fresh in your mind. And to all those who are currently revising, I say that efficiency is starting your revision early, and stopping not when you get bored, but when you feel full. Not to be confused with a food coma from late night pizza binging in University Libraries during the wee hours, I am referring to that feeling where you stop learning new information and start clinging to books like a life-ring.


From my experience in business the old 80-20 rule is king. If you are a half decent worker then you will get most of the way there in your initial foray into a task. Time spent after this tipping point (which in truth I think most people could identify if they stopped to think) is often wasted and it provides sod all in the way of added value. Without doubt one of the best things you can do is learn to "Eat your frog" as Brian Tracy suggests: (http://tinyurl.com/6fbcqmk) 


I appreciate of course that there are an intangible amount of approaches when it comes to working efficiency, but why not do yourself a favour and take 10 minutes out of your revision to read this, your new bible: (http://www.wikihow.com/Work-Smart,-Not-Hard)