Work Wisely: Work Less Hours, Make More Money

The following are some tips to assist you as you strive to increase your earnings while working fewer hours:

1) Think of effective hours of work rather than number of hours of work.
You may believe that you are the only one who can do everything that you do, but keep track of your activities. You will be surprised when you realize how you distribute -- or waste -- your time.

2) Set up clear priorities.
Make sure that you achieve what is high on your list and that you discard the actions that have been on your list but haven't been done in months or years. It's time to let go. If you claim that everything is an emergency, you will fall in the trap of responding to fires all the time rather than creating ways to increase your earnings.

3) Have a plan.
Most people don't have a plan, and many who do leave it in the drawer without checking their progress. By having a plan, you can constantly follow your progress and decide whether you are achieving your desired goals and earnings. Without a plan, you will end up busy and exhausted and will continue to have more busyness and exhaustion. If you have never created a plan, this is a great time to start.

4) Cut down your working hours from 16 to 12 or from 12 to 10.
What would you do if you were forced to work less hours and be more efficient with your time? Unfortunately, many feel pressured to do this after they have become too sick to work many hours or when life circumstances have impacted upon their ability to work. By creating a sense of urgency and efficiency, you can force yourself to become more focused, more effective, and more productive.

5) Find effective ways to relax: Eat, exercise, sleep, and relax.
If you are an executive or entrepreneur and you are leading under pressure, you will need to find and integrate times to eat, exercise, sleep, and relax in your busy schedule. Avoid too much caffeine during the day and the negative cycle of daily caffeine and alcohol or hypnotics at night. It is not a matter of whether someone who is overworked will exhaust his or her energy; it's a matter of time: When will they burn out? Learn relaxation techniques including guided imagery or meditation. Listen to music or find a hobby. In addition to these strategies, exercising is a must for busy corporate warriors and business owners. Repetitive exercises tend to be the best to help de-stress. Others prefer Yoga and Tai Chi. Nothing beats sleeping well at night.