How To Work Less But Achieve More
Julie Starr • July 1, 2021
It does not matter what sort of career you have, what you do on a day-to-day business, or what sort of company you are involved in, we should always be looking to achieve more. However, when it comes to looking for different ways to take our business or our efforts to the next level, we simply assume we need to put in more hours and do more. Instead of this, we should be looking to work smarter – this especially applies to business sustainability. How can we improve our processes so that we achieve more within this set period of time? Read on to discover some of the best ways to start working smarter rather than working harder.
- Tighten up meetings – There is only one place to begin, and this is with meetings. After all, when it comes to time wasted, meetings are right up there are most businesses. Instead, make sure your meetings have an intended outcome and limit them to 30 minutes.
- Speed up your tech – Is your tech slowing you down? If so, you need to look for different ways to speed it up. Using fibre optic broadband is a good place to start. You also need to make sure that all the computers and other devices you use are up-to-date and operating efficiently.
- Learn to prioritize and delegate with greater effectiveness – The first thing you need to do is make sure you delegate the tasks you should not be doing. If there is something on your desk that could easily be handled by someone else, get them to do it. When it comes to tasks you have to do, make sure they are prioritized in order of importance. If there is something that can be done in less than half an hour, do it now.
- Hire people that are more intelligent than you – The next step to work smarter at your business is to take on employees who are more intelligent than you in the certain elements of your business that you need to focus on. A lot of managers want to stunt the employee journey , but you should encourage it.
- Build processes for you and the rest of the team to follow – If you do not have procedures that are clear, you are most definitely not working as smart as you could be. In fact, your employers and employees will find that they are just running around in circles.
- Automate tedious work using technology – The final piece of the puzzle when it comes to working smarter and not harder is to utilize technology to streamline or automate any tedious work. Nowadays, there is a tech platform for virtually every element of running a business, from employee management and client interaction scheduling to sales and project management. Make the most of this.
- Integrate sustainability strategies into your daily operations – Integrating sustainability concepts (recycling, paperless office, energy efficiency) in the business brings eco-awareness to the workplace and also creates a space for innovation to occur within your operations by performing daily operations with an environmental mindset. Elements of environmental business attract commitment, energize employees, creates meaningful work, and positively impact your business as well as the planet.
As you can see, there are lots of different ways that you can work smarter rather than working harder. If you follow the tips that have been presented above, you should notice a considerable difference when it comes to the efficiency and success of your business. Good luck!
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.