20 Quotes That Will Inspire You to Work Smarter, Not Harder

Do you feel like your work to-do list is out of control? Do you feel like you're spinning your wheels trying to get on top of everything but can't? If so, you're not alone. This is a common feeling among professionals in today's busy world at work and beyond. 

If you find yourself in this situation, it's best to stop and ask yourself if there are any ways you can work smarter, not just harder?

Not sure how to do this? Not to worry, the following quotes on working smarter, not harder, are a great place to start and will inspire you to take action. From there, check out the guide, Work Smarter, Not Harder: 7 Ways to Take Control of Your Day, which is packed with actionable insights, tips, and tricks that can be immediately put into practice. 

“So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard.” - Caterina Fake

“It's not the load that breaks you down. It's the way you carry it.” - Lena Horne

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” - Abraham Lincoln

“You can do anything, but not everything.” - David Allen

“Workaholics aren't heroes. They don't save the day, they just use it up. The real hero is home because they figured out a faster way.” - Jason Fried

"It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?" - Henry David Thoreau

"Working smart is harder than working hard. It’s just less visible, and we care too much about what others see." - Shane Snow

“Nothing is less productive than to make more efficient what should not be done at all.” - Peter Drucker

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” -Maya Angelou

"People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done." - Steve Jobs

"Overcoming procrastination is not - I repeat - not about cramming additional work into your day. Overcoming procrastination is about simplifying your life to make space for the activities that matter most." - Richie Norton

"The essential question is not 'How busy are you?' but 'What are you busy at?" - Oprah Winfrey 

"Work hard but work smart. Always. Every day. Nothing is handed to you and nothing is easy. You're not owed anything. No job or task is too small or beneath you. If you want to get ahead, volunteer to do the things no one else wants to do and do it better. Be a sponge. Be open and learn." - Bobbi Brown 

“Stressing output is the key to improving productivity, while looking to increase activity can result in just the opposite.” - Andrew Grove

“Don't confuse activity with productivity. Many people are simply busy being busy." - Robin Sharma

"The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary." - Vidal Sassoon

"No matter how many personal productivity techniques you master, there will always be more to do than you can ever accomplish in the time you have available to you, no matter how much it is." - Brian Tracy

"Reflect on what you do in a day. You may have never realized how some simple, harmless activities rob you of precious time." - Vivek Naik

“Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends, there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing." - Thomas A. Edison

“The combination of hard work and smart work is efficient work." - Robert Half