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Work Harder

Techniques > Willpower > Work Harder

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

When you work harder, you have to exercise your willpower in forcing yourself to continue working when you would like to stop. This can help you develop willpower, much as a runner extends the distance they run, pushing themself through the pain barrier.

Of course you do need breaks but, by pushing yourself and not giving up easily, you exercise your will on yourself and so improve your willpower in all other situations. Things you can do include:

• Study something seriously, gaining academic or professional qualifications. Do this in the minimum time possible.
• Keep the place cleaner, with a regular schedule of cleaning tasks.
• Arrive an hour earlier at work so you can polish off focus tasks before everyone else arrives.
• Have a planned regimen of exercise.
• Take exercise wherever you can, for example walking or cycling rather than driving or taking a taxi.
• Take on extra challenges at work that stretch your thinking.

Example

A student regularly works late to complete essays on time. They also hold down a job at a local restaurant to help pay their way.

A person becomes disabled and loses their job. Their partner works even harder to keep the family going, taking on an extra evening job to make ends meet.

Discussion

A common problem for all of us is getting things done that need doing and many of us put off things that make us feel uncomfortable. Procrastination could even be seen as an epidemic. Developing willpower and determination can help you get all kinds of things done.

Beware of overworking that exhausts you and makes you less efficient. Be prepared to work late when you need to, but ensure you also get time to recover.

Working harder does not mean doing everything (there are probably not enough hours in the day), but a rational exercise of prioritizing the most important things makes more sense than choosing what to do based on how comfortable or not it makes you.

See also

Workplace design