Working hard vs. working smart

[Gaze]

So, although this isn't news, the reality of work today is that it's those who work smart rather than those who work hard who tend to be more successful and have more opportunities.

Those who sacrifice and give their all, working day in and day out are rarely getting the recognition, income, and opportunities compared to those who work smarter but not necessarily harder.

Thoughts

 

[Nitesteamer]

I think that the one who works harder initially is more likely to be the one who learns how to work smarter. How they respond to their new smartness may be another matter.

But then some people are just brilliant from the get-go. If that person works hard...

 

[Kgal]

So, although this isn't news, the reality of work today is that it's those who work smart rather than those who work hard who tend to be more successful and have more opportunities.

Those who sacrifice and give their all, working day in and day out are rarely getting the recognition, income, and opportunities compared to those who work smarter but not necessarily harder.

Thoughts

It's fun seeing Whoopie....

Working smarter to me means learning how to play the Game. You know...office politics/knowing when to be mean/when to back down/being competitive/following the rules.

These are all things I have failed miserably.

 

[David54]

It's fun seeing Whoopie....

Working smarter to me means learning how to play the Game. You know...office politics/knowing when to be mean/when to back down/being competitive/following the rules.

These are all things I have failed miserably.

I have played the game for many years. . you can do it. . but it will eat away at your soul. in the end it will leave you a shell. . I"m wrestling with this even as I write. .
I think for my next career I'd like to scoop up elephant shit at the zoo for a living . .

 

[invisible]

i love to work hard and feel as though i achieved something i believed in and learned from and can be proud of.

 

[endersgone]

i love to work hard and feel as though i achieved something i believed in and learned from and can be proud of.

Can't argue with that.

 

[Soulful]

Based on my observations and thoughts to date, I generally agree with the idea.

I think working smart can be defined in various ways, especially if there are different possibilities to one's work experiences based on the work environment itself. I envision working smart as a conscious and critical approach to work based on being clear about one's goals and using passion and/or purpose to propel the outcome of one's aims. I'm sure there are exceptions or other definitions, but that's my general impression.

 

[Trifoilum]

No, that would depend on where you are. Japan LOVES hard workers; so much that people pretend to work overtime.
But that's not the point, isn't it?

I half agreed with [MENTION=2578]Kgal[/MENTION]; it's half office politics / knowing what you say. One I also failed a lot at.

But another is well....to work itself. Work ethics and work methods.
One thing I noticed is the thin line / the choice / the scale between effectiveness and efficiency. How much effort must be done compared to how much energy must be used.
For example, my workmates are very...efficiency-based inclined, most of the roads they are picking are ones that costs least energy. Regardless of whether it gets the job done -thoroughly- or not.
On the other hand, Boss #1 is very...effectiveness-based inclined, that most of the roads he picked are ones that MUST get the job done. Regardless of energy, of whether it's convoluted, etc.

The criterias, on the other hand are amazing.
Like, thoroughness (is it a bandage / quick fix, or is it a long term solution?)
Time (Does it take a long time to do it? Or a short time?)
Results (How fast is the result being seen? How permanent? Will there be any possible problems in the future? Is it just plain maintenance, or another evolving problem?)
Moral aspects (Will there any questionable acts being done? How far? How much?)
Effort (How much effort is enough? What about future increasing of efforts?)

Not to mention, the people, again.
What are the status? Will your workmates have problems? Will your -boss- have problems?
In what way?
Is it conflict of interest? Conflict of method? Conflict of priorities?
And comes the personality, and how they take each act we are doing.
Are they patient?
Do they prefer to see things repeatedly done quickly, or things that may run slower, as long as it works perfectly without flaw?
Are they comfortable with effective, if questionable acts; or is there a moral line somewhere?
Do they want to give more effort / energy than they'd like to?
Then comes their reaction towards us, and how it will affect us....etc.

I probably think too much.

 

[barbad0s]

Hey, at least working hard will get you somewhere, whereas if you spend all your time thinking about how you can try to save time by working smart so that you can do everything at the last minute, then fail, you'll get nowhere!!

/enfp

 

[Blind Bandit]

It's fun seeing Whoopie....

Working smarter to me means learning how to play the Game. You know...office politics/knowing when to be mean/when to back down/being competitive/following the rules.

These are all things I have failed miserably.

Same here for many of us our ethical system simple doesn't fit with working smarter or gaming the system. You have to be will to sacrifice some morality to get ahead in our current system.

 

[Trifoilum]

Hey, at least working hard will get you somewhere, whereas if you spend all your time thinking about how you can try to save time by working smart so that you can do everything at the last minute, then fail, you'll get nowhere!!

/enfp

Of course, that too.

The ideal is some degree of working hard -and- smart. Working hard but stupidly will go nowhere; things done will be undone sooner or later.
Working smart but not hard (..soft? low? weak?) will get you nowhere literally. You're busy thinking.

Although to think about it, to start something and keep it up; the pace, is also part of working smart.

 

[Billy]

I hate working hard unless I have no choice. I always opt to work smarter or pick a shortcut.

 

[Next]

Har-har. I actually think that's a brilliant title, well, it's inresting......a combination of both, sound good, i think I'm right behind working hard, the other one's just deterministic, and limiting, cos what is smart?....the world understands that's it control, self-discipline that produce results, pure determination.

 

[JGirl]

i work hard and i work smart and no one cares.
really, it sounds like i'm whining but it's true!
i think they would care if i stopped, but those around me tend to take my hard work for granted
i no longer work outside the home, but i put in around 10 to 12 hours a day here in the warmer seasons.
there are the domestic house chores, but then there is the landscaping, renovating, repairs (which yes i do for the most part unless it's electrical or plumbing) and everything else that is required to run a household.
running a household is not seen as a real job.
why is that?

 

[barbad0s]

running a household is not seen as a real job.
why is that?

It is to me

 

[Gaze]

i work hard and i work smart and no one cares.
really, it sounds like i'm whining but it's true!
i think they would care if i stopped, but those around me tend to take my hard work for granted
i no longer work outside the home, but i put in around 10 to 12 hours a day here in the warmer seasons.
there are the domestic house chores, but then there is the landscaping, renovating, repairs (which yes i do for the most part unless it's electrical or plumbing) and everything else that is required to run a household.
running a household is not seen as a real job.
why is that?

Because we've bought into the idea as a society, that it's not real or hard work if you're not being paid for it which is nonsense. We've placed more value on money than people and what they do. Or we put a monetary value to everything so we reduce it to this.

 

[Kgal]

No, that would depend on where you are. Japan LOVES hard workers; so much that people pretend to work overtime.
But that's not the point, isn't it?

I half agreed with @Kgal ; it's half office politics / knowing what you say. One I also failed a lot at.

But another is well....to work itself. Work ethics and work methods.
One thing I noticed is the thin line / the choice / the scale between effectiveness and efficiency. How much effort must be done compared to how much energy must be used.
For example, my workmates are very...efficiency-based inclined, most of the roads they are picking are ones that costs least energy. Regardless of whether it gets the job done -thoroughly- or not.
On the other hand, Boss #1 is very...effectiveness-based inclined, that most of the roads he picked are ones that MUST get the job done. Regardless of energy, of whether it's convoluted, etc.

The criterias, on the other hand are amazing.
Like, thoroughness (is it a bandage / quick fix, or is it a long term solution?)
Time (Does it take a long time to do it? Or a short time?)
Results (How fast is the result being seen? How permanent? Will there be any possible problems in the future? Is it just plain maintenance, or another evolving problem?)
Moral aspects (Will there any questionable acts being done? How far? How much?)
Effort (How much effort is enough? What about future increasing of efforts?)

Not to mention, the people, again.
What are the status? Will your workmates have problems? Will your -boss- have problems?
In what way?
Is it conflict of interest? Conflict of method? Conflict of priorities?
And comes the personality, and how they take each act we are doing.
Are they patient?
Do they prefer to see things repeatedly done quickly, or things that may run slower, as long as it works perfectly without flaw?
Are they comfortable with effective, if questionable acts; or is there a moral line somewhere?
Do they want to give more effort / energy than they'd like to?
Then comes their reaction towards us, and how it will affect us....etc.

I probably think too much.

Naw...I don't agree you are thinking too much.

You're doing a great job of analyzing and assessing your work environment. There are models defined in the social sciences to resemble several distinct methods of operating or managing a business. From my perspective your ongoing analysis and musings will aid you in the long run towards being competent in your environment.

When I learned about the various management frameworks - it taught me about the different roles one is expected to play. For the first time I realized why I had failed in certain employment positions I've had over the years.

Congratulations! You're already succeeding where I had failed. [bows in honor to wisdom]

Keep at it! :tongue:

 

[JGirl]

Because we've bought into the idea as a society, that it's not real or hard work if you're not being paid for it which is nonsense. We've placed more value on money than people and what they do. Or we put a monetary value to everything so we reduce it to this.

exactimundo!

 

[Gaze]

exactimundo!

Both my parents work extremely hard everyday but I know they don't get a third of what they deserve for what they do.

 

[JGirl]

my partner and i figured out that if i worked outside the home it would put him into a higher tax bracket and that, added to the cost of another vehicle on the road, the time i would spend away from the house, and the things that wouldn't get done here as a result made it not worth the trouble.
still, he doesn't really see the value in what i do because as you said it doesn't generate income.
i sell my art from time to time, but could never make a living at it. i do landscaping jobs for neighbors, but that too doesn't amount to much in the way of $$.
pin money, basically lol