Motivation Archives

The Period of Waiting After Submitting

The relief of finally hitting the submit button is cause for celebration. The process of writing has been made so much easier by utilizing Hardly.

But what about the days and weeks of waiting after? Puttering around the house and waiting to hear back is nobody’s idea of a good time. The longer the waiting period stretches, the more room yawns open for anxiety to slip in.

If you’re wondering what to do next, wonder no longer. Hardly has your back (and a few options of what to do in the meanwhile).

Take a Breath and Reset

It’s a lot of pressure to organize everything and apply. Taking a moment to breathe is never going to hurt. Life is always going to be chaotic and full of surprises. One moment of peace is something you shouldn’t begrudge yourself.

While applying, your eyes tend to be locked on a screen for HOURS. Hitting the submit button means screen time can finally be over. Hardly recommends stepping away from all screens, big and small. Especially right before sleeping. That text can wait (all non-urgent ones of course) and so can that new TV show.

Don’t overthink or let yourself join the negativity club. Don’t let yourself spiral into “what ifs.” Easier said than done, right?

What To Do Instead

Once you’ve hit submit, give yourself a minute. Literally.

You’ve done the hard work. Now it’s time to let your brain catch up. Focus on the things you are grateful for and things you are looking forward to.

Track and Organize Your Applications

With Hardly’s job tracker, you can see every single application you have submitted, what stage you are at with each one, and have coaches able to advise you every step of the way. Creating multiple accounts for different job portals, remembering all of those passwords, and hoping that you won’t miss the next email or phone call sounds like a hassle.

I’ve seen people utilize Excel and create gigantic spreadsheets or write down every job in their Notes app. It works for some people, but definitely not for everyone.

Don’t make extra work for yourself. Keeping track of your applications reduces stress and keeps you prepared.

By inputting the company, date applied, and the link to the job description, you’ve already organized your pile of jobs in less than a minute. Once you get an interview, you can change the status of the application to “Interviewing.” If an opportunity doesn’t work out, another click of a button greys it out.

Prepare for the Next Steps

If you’re antsy to get past relaxing and onto the next thing, we have a few tips for you. Use the waiting time to get ready for potential interviews or follow-ups.

Do the research. Companies LOVE when you already know all about the position and the company. If you bring fresh ideas to an interview or personal projects that you completed specifically for that company, that puts you 5 steps above the rest of the applicants.

Practice common interview questions. You can never practice enough. Sometimes you might have to wing it because life happens. It’s not the end of the world BECAUSE you have already spent extra time practicing for whatever might come your way. The research you have done will ensure you’re never caught off-guard with questions related to the company.

Update your portfolio or LinkedIn. Don’t think that interviewing companies won’t look over your portfolio or Linkedin before they even speak to you. You want to show and put your most polished foot forward.

Keep relevant materials (resume, cover letter) handy and polished. Printer paper won’t cut it. Invest in a few copies of your clean and simple resume on white cotton paper. You won’t regret it and your future employers will appreciate it.

Build Up Your Skills

Like I mentioned earlier, personal projects can be huge when interviewing for a specific job. In the design world, a branding project focused on the company you’d love to work at should be included in your portfolio and mentioned.

Online courses and free webinars are abundant. LinkedIn Learning is a huge resource. I highly recommend certificates. They take a few hours to a couple of days to complete, but ultimately highlight your steadfast dedication to a specific skill.

Network, Network, and Network

Friends can refer you to people in that company or industry. Those people can refer to exactly who you need. Six degrees of separation is not entirely unfounded. Everyone knows someone.

If not, sending out a few messages and emails to people in the company or industry for a cup of coffee or a 15 minute call can establish relationships and help you get you where you need to be. Down the road, it could be the tipping point of an opportunity or help create a new opportunity just for you. Make sure you aren’t just asking the person for a job. That’s shallow and transactional. Truly invest your attention in them and then they’ll invest in you AFTER building a strong relationship.

Keep Applying, But Stay Focused

Now that you’re ready to start applying again, I recommend applying to a few every day. Don’t apply to a thousand because that encourages burnout in a wildly short amount of time. Sending out a few high quality applications is worth much more in the end than a thousand half-baked applications. Make sure to proofread and ensure your resume and cover letter are saying exactly what you want them to say.

Never forget to celebrate your progress!

Conclusion: Own the In-Between

It might feel empty, just waiting for people to get back to you. Fill that time and space with things that can only help you move forward. Rest and being proactive are qualities that will serve you well, even outside of job applications.

Staying positive makes all the difference. That time between submitting and hearing back doesn’t have to feel empty. With Hardly’s tools like your resume, your tracker, and your next steps, it all becomes part of the bigger picture you’re building. You’re not just waiting. You’re moving forward.

1. Clean Up What's Collecting Dust

Let’s start by clearing out what’s no longer working. We want your career story to be told and catch the attention of those who need to hear it.

For my young professionals out there, keep your resume clean and clear with a one page maximum.

The same goes for your cover letter. It’s tempting to fit every experience into your resume — believe me, I’ve been there and done that. In the words of one of my former teachers, you don’t want the person reading it to be in a bad mood because it’s too long. When it’s too long, most people will skip through it even faster. That’s not ideal.

💡 Career experts agree; cover letters aren’t always required, but a strong one can make all the difference in your job search.

For everyone else, it’s always good to keep the most recent and relevant experiences on your resume and highlight specific instances in your cover letters. Understandably, some people have significant gaps in time in their professional careers. In those cases, prioritize relevant experiences. If there happen to be other jobs or professional experiences since then that can be highlighted, let that job you had straight after your last year of school take a backseat.

Now that we’ve got the main bullet points in place, it’s time to make sure that your resume sounds sleek and modern.

Here are some examples of tired and dated sentence phrases:

“Responsible for handling customer inquiries." (Translation: I answered lots and lots of phone calls.)
“Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite. (Every office job ever.)
“Hard worker with a positive attitude.” (Yawn.)
“Participated in team meetings and contributed ideas.” (Basically, I showed up.)

These tired phrases are holding your career story hostage. It’s time to kick them to the curb and make space for what really counts. We’ll give an example about how to revitalize phrases like this in the next section, so keep reading.

2. Keep the Gems

What’s still working for you? That introduction might have been collecting dust for a few years, but at one point it accurately described your abilities and career story. Take the tone or a certain word and refresh it.

🕰 Have you always been good with time-management? Update the wording so that strength finally gets the credit it deserves.

Before (dusty old intro):“I am a detail-oriented professional with strong time-management skills and a commitment to teamwork.”

After (much better):“A natural multitasker who thrives in fast-paced environments, I balance deadlines, projects, and collaboration with ease. Busy days become my success stories” (a perfect segue to an example of such a success story)

Of course, there isn’t anything wrong with the first introduction. It gets the job done with no extra fluff. In full transparency, the AI that reads it first won’t notice anything amiss. The only thing missing?

(It’s kind of important.)

It’s your voice. Once your resume and cover letter make it past the initial rounds, which it will, a real person will be scanning cover letter after cover letter. You want to make it stick in their minds. This is your chance to stand out in a clean and memorable way! Make it count.

For more on how to make your resume and cover letter ATS-friendly, click here.

3. Rewrite the Script

I have an even easier solution for you.

Imagine not going through your cover letter and resume and rewriting every little thing about your career.

You don’t have to imagine it. With Hardly, input your old cover letter and resume along with some key words about what you want your new cover letter or resume to sound like into our cover letter and resume builders. Within minutes, you’ll have a brand-new, clutter-free, and ATS-friendly cover letter and resume ready to submit.

Worried about tone? You don’t have to be. Our AI enhances all text to sound exactly how you want it to. And guess what? All of Hardly’s tools are customizable to your needs. Use what you want, leave behind what you don’t.

4. Clear the Way for Change

Here’s your Hardly toolkit:

Resume Builder – Match resumes to job descriptions instantly so you can apply with confidence and clarity. Hardly tailors the structure and content to position you for success.
Cover Letter Builder – You can pick any job description, and generate a cohesive and polished cover letter within seconds that tells your career story. Enhance the cover letter with Hardly’s AI button.
Job Application Tracker – Track applications, identify next steps, and coach with confidence using Hardly’s real-time job tracking tool
Interview Practice Tool – Hardly’s Interview Practice Tool helps job seekers like you get ready for interviews by practicing responses and improving their delivery. It is an excellent tool to simulate the basic interview process.
Messaging – Stay connected with quick, secure messages, all within the platform.

Assessments – Use built-in assessments to identify strengths, gaps, and job readiness.

Final Thoughts

Your career story is not fixed. It grows as you do. Whether you are just starting out or re-entering the workforce after time away, you already have what you need. What matters now is how you tell it.

Clear the clutter. Say what you mean. Let Hardly help you bring your next chapter into focus.

How To Own Your Growth At Every Stage

Growth isn’t a straight line to the top. It also isn’t defined by job titles or degrees.

Growth begins the moment you decide to move forward.

If you’re working with a workforce development center to find your next step, growth might mean rebuilding your confidence or figuring out how to talk about everything you’ve learned outside of a traditional job. It might mean navigating a completely new direction. And no matter where you are in your journey, Hardly is here to help you take that next step.

Who Are The People Utilizing Workforce Development Centers?

Recent High School Graduates
Someone looking to pivot into a different industry
Veterans readjusting to the job climate
The ones who decided to forgo the college experience for real world experience
Formerly incarcerated individuals
Displaced workers
Anyone rethinking what meaningful work looks like for them
Parents getting back into the workforce after years

Everyone’s path is different, and that’s the point. Every experience teaches you something worth bringing to your next role.

The First Stage

This section is mostly for our high school graduates, but this advice applies to anyone without a degree looking further their careers without one.

Many of the most successful business men and women in the world don’t have a college degree. Their success didn’t come from a diploma. It came from the skills they built and the way they showed up.

Career success today depends far more on real-world experience than formal education. Every experience you have had has impacted you, whether that’s positively or negatively. It’s up to you to figure out how to channel the growth that each experience has sparked in you into your next steps.

Working in retail or at your local diner has value. It means you know how to work with people, even in difficult situations. If you had a side hustle in high school, it shows entrepreneurship and the ability to take risks responsibly. Volunteering at your local nursing home shows compassion, willingness to give back to the community, and most importantly, dedication.

These experiences matter and important to build true character alongside your foundation. You’ve already built the skills you need. Now it’s time to make sure employers see them.

Hardly works hand-in-hand with workforce development centers. Our tools, like our resume builder, help you tell your story clearly and professionally. If your experience doesn’t look traditional, that’s okay. Tell us where you’ve been, and we’ll help you present it in the best way possible.

Reentering The Workforce

Coming back to work after time away can feel overwhelming. Whether you’ve been raising a family, serving in the military, or navigating a major life change, reentering the workforce requires courage and support.

For some, it’s been years since they’ve had to update a resume or apply for a job. For others, like formerly incarcerated individuals, the gap in employment might feel like a wall. And for veterans, the transition into civilian life can be jarring.

You’ve developed highly valuable skills that aren’t always written in the language employers expect to see. These types of skills could never have been gained by someone in academia. That’s your advantage. You have lived a different life, and have grown skills that are necessary for our society.

If you’ve kept people safe, followed detailed protocols, or learned how to make fast decisions in unpredictable environments, you already have what so many employers are looking for. Adaptability. Leadership. Attention to detail. Teamwork.

Can you work well in a high-pressure environment? The question doesn’t even need to be asked with certain jobs under your belt.

The key is helping employers recognize those strengths. That is what Hardly does best. Our resume and cover letter builders help you translate your story into a format employers understand. And this time, you don’t have to spend hours staring at a blank screen.

Pivoting To A New Industry

The job search is grueling, especially when you’re trying to pivot into a new field without a traditional background.

It’s a time filled with uncertainty.

You apply to dozens of jobs, rewrite your resume over and over, tailor your cover letters and still hear nothing back. Eventually, it starts to feel personal. But it’s not.

Rejections left and right are NOT a commentary on the value you can bring to the table. Forbes states that 70% of people are finding it harder to get a job this year than in years past. You’re not imagining things. The market is tough.

Hardly lets you update your resume as you grow, build custom cover letters for every job you apply to, and track all your applications in one place. We help you stay organized and focused so your effort doesn’t go to waste. Our tools make your growth visible to employers.

Don’t make it harder than it needs to be, right?

Action Steps

Here’s a few steps to get you started:

1. Use Hardly’s resume builder to tell your story clearly and confidently.

A well-crafted resume is your first impression. Use our tools to highlight your strengths, your experiences, and your goals in a way that speaks to employers.

2. Track your applications with the job tracker.

Staying organized during your job search helps you stay focused. Hardly’s job tracker lets you see where you have applied, follow up with confidence, and celebrate each small win.

3. Set one new growth goal each week.

Small goals lead to big changes. Whether it is updating one section of your resume, learning a new digital tool, or attending a workshop, consistent progress builds momentum.

4. Keep showing up.

Growth is not about having everything figured out. It is about taking one step at a time, no matter what stage you are in.

Hardly makes those steps easier. We are here to help you stay on track and own your growth with clarity and purpose.

Growth Looks Different on Everyone

Here’s a fun fact about me: I’m a perfectionist at heart. However, being perfect is not what growth is about. We’re all running the same race but from different places. Your next step will look different from mine. The most important thing to keep in mind is that we’re both moving forward.

Feeling sad? Take a step forward. Feeling tired? Take another step forward.

Each step forward facilitates more growth and more character.

You have to own each step.

Hardly has your back every step of the way.

You Don't Need A Degree To Succeed, Just Skills

Today, employers are looking for skills over degrees.

Ask around. Chances are someone in your circle took an untraditional route from high school to their now successful career. If you don’t know someone like that yet, Hardly is here to help you become that person or support others.

The Job Market

The job market is challenging, even on its best day. You scroll through LinkedIn or Indeed and see job postings with qualifications for entry-level jobs like this:

Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field
5+ Years of relevant experience in digital marketing
Proven track record of managing multi-million dollar ad campaigns
Expertise in Google Analytics, SEO/SEM, CRM platforms, and Adobe Creative Suite
Demonstrated leadership and team management skills
Must be available to work nights, weekends, and holidays
Salary: $40,000/year

That overwhelming spreadsheet of applications rejection emails and recruiter names that I know you have (don’t worry, we’ve all been there) can be simplified with an effortless job tracker designed by Hardly to keep you organized and focused.

Let’s dive into why skills are outweighing degrees these days.

When Everyone's Skills Look The Same on Paper

Some fields like medicine, law, or engineering will always require formal education and hard skills. That’s fair. In recent years, many qualified people have gravitated toward other paths, like those in the trades or other fields like marketing, business, entrepreneurship, and design.

The downside for hiring professionals? Thousands of applicants look nearly identical on paper. They have the same:

degree.

internships.

cover letter rewritten over and over to fit the qualifications.

How do you stand out and differentiate yourself when everyone checks the same boxes?

Skills Speak Louder Than Diplomas

Employers are shifting their focus from just degrees to actual experience. It’s heartening to see employers begin to focus on hiring the right skills, drive, and passion. Instead of where you went to school, they want to know what you can do.

What have you built, led, designed, managed, or solved? Experience and demonstrated capabilities are what matter in today’s job market. Hardly’s resume builder helps you highlight your skills clearly and use the right keywords to catch recruiters’ attention.

Companies like Google, IBM, and Delta have already removed degree requirements for many roles. Likewise, more are following, because they’ve realized what we’ve always believed:

💡 Your experience matters more than a diploma.

Organizations are finally starting to recognize that traditional education is not the only path to job readiness.

This change didn’t happen overnight. It’s driven by many factors. Here are the top 2 overall factors:

Technology Evolution

Tech evolves faster than most college programs, so degrees can become outdated in record time. Many new job positions today didn’t exist 10 years ago. Equity and access have become central conversations. College isn’t affordable or accessible for everyone. Employers are realizing that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not.

Changing Nature Of Work

Freelancing gig work side hustles remote jobs and entrepreneurship have expanded how people develop and prove their skills. Someone who started a small business managed a family schedule or ran social media for a nonprofit might bring more relevant experience than a recent graduate without hands-on training.

Why This Shift Is Happening

Skills-first hiring also changes how we think about career paths. Gone are the days of climbing one narrow ladder for forty years. Today’s workforce is built on pivots, growth, and reinvention. You can move between industries, start over in a new city, or explore a different role without returning to school each time. That freedom can feel intimidating but it is also incredibly empowering. Your career doesn’t need to follow anyone else’s template. You are allowed to build it your way.

More than anything, this movement puts the spotlight back on people. It recognizes that value does not come from a piece of paper. It comes from action. Value comes from showing up, figuring things out, making progress and learning as you go. That mindset matters more than a transcript ever could.

Let's Talk About the Trades

Electricians, welders, plumbers, and carpenters are all professionals with serious skill sets, and their work is more essential than ever. These are smart, valuable, and often high-paying career paths that deserve the same level of respect as any corporate job. People in the trades build and maintain the world we all rely on. And right now, there is real opportunity. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, skilled trades are among the industries most impacted by the labor shortage, which means demand is high and growing.

Hardly was built with that in mind. Whether you are fixing engines, framing houses, designing websites, or running your own landscaping business, your work has real impact.

Final Words

Hardly helps you turn hands-on experience into language that speaks to employers. Whether you have been working for twenty years or you are just starting out, Hardly makes it easier to identify your skills, frame your story, and stay organized throughout your search. You don’t need a business degree to prove that you are capable and ready. You just need the right words.

Most of us are our absolute best work selves when we start a new job. Our boss says “jump,” we say “how high.” We show up early, over-prepared, and volunteer for every opportunity for growth. Then a couple of weeks or months go by and naturally as we get more comfortable a few bad working habits tend to rear their ugly heads. Our transition to remote work probably followed a similar pattern. In fact, we might have developed some new unfortunate habits in the process.

I started forgetting all about my body language during Zoom meetings. Being in a room surrounded by people dressed in business attire commands a certain level of attention. Being alone in my apartment with sweatpants and headphones on is a different vibe. I was catching myself mid-doodle, looking down at my paper, and suddenly remembering I was on camera! I hadn’t made eye contact with the current speaker or given any signs that I was engaged in the conversation in ten minutes. While I had been listening, it looked like I was completely zoned out to my coworkers. Realizing my habit could come off as disrespectful and unprofessional, I knew I had to nip it in the bud.

To save you from having to learn some hard lessons on your own, here are our top 5 bad working habits you need to kick in 2021:

Perfectionism is the enemy of good habits

“Perfectionism is the antithesis of productivity,” said some really wise guy.

He was right! Let go of meticulously going through the small stuff at the expense of making headway on the project as a whole. Instead, create a comprehensive rough draft where all the content or “meat” of the deliverable is there and then go back and make necessary corrections if time allows. Don’t let your fear of criticism keep you from pulling the trigger. The sooner you send it out, the sooner you can receive feedback, the sooner you can make it better.

Tardiness doesn't pay

One of my New Year’s commitments was to be on time for everything. Showing up when you are supposed to says you value your time and the time of others which can be hugely important in business since time is money.

To avoid being late to any Zoom calls, set the alert for 5-10 minutes before the actual meeting so that you have time to go to the bathroom, close out of your email, or get a glass of water before it begins. Shoot for sitting in front of your computer with a smile on your face one minute before the start time.

Overpromising is a habit that will catch up to you

I am definitely guilty of this one. With good intentions, my default is to say “yes, yes, yes” to everything forgetting that I only have time for so much work. While setting boundaries might be difficult at first, it is better than disappointing others when you have to admit you bit off more than you could chew. Instead, set realistic expectations from the beginning and if you finish early, reach out and offer to take on more.

Tunnel focus is bad

Laser focus is a valuable skill however, in virtual work environments being accessible via online platforms is key. Coworkers rely on email and Slack to let you know they require your attention. Tuning everything out and working in isolation is not an option— and is definitely a bad working habit. Deeply focusing on one task for an extended period of time can cause you to miss time-sensitive messages from others on your team. You don’t want to be the one that people can never get a hold of.

Prevent this by placing a time limit on your tunnel vision and scheduling email, Slack, and phone checks a couple of times per day so that you are attuned to all your tasks in the background.

Resisting new processes or software

Even if a change is for the better, there is always a learning curve. Being a stick-in-the-mud and unwilling to adapt is a sure way to make yourself obsolete. Don’t be the team member that is looking backward rather than forwards. Instead, take on a positive attitude and welcome the opportunity to add a new skill to your repertoire and resume. Just think, it will make you more competitive in the long run!

If you and I can ditch these bad working habits, we will be sure to excel in our current positions. Not to mention, our coworkers and bosses will thank us for being productive, punctual, honest, aware, and adaptable. Let us know if there are other bad habits you intend to improve this year and share your plan of attack!

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You’ve Hit Submit. Now What?

You’ve hit submit. Now what? The in-between can feel uncertain, but it doesn’t have to. With Hardly, you can reset, refocus, and stay organized. Whether it’s tracking applications, preparing for interviews, or building new skills, every step forward counts—even while you wait.

Career Story Refresh: Clear Clutter & Highlight What Matters

Tired of feeling stuck with your resume and cover letter? This post walks you through refreshing your career story by removing outdated language, emphasizing your real skills, and using Hardly’s smart tools to streamline your job search. Your story evolves. Make sure your application materials do too!

A career coach is there to help you figure out what you want to do, explore opportunities for professional growth, and support you through a job search. But… It takes time and money to hire a career coach, so you should do your homework to figure out if working with one will help you reach your career goals. And if a career coach is for you, what kind of coach will be the best? Here are five reasons you might consider hiring one.

It's hard to know what to do next.

When family or friends try to help narrow down your choices, their advice may not always reflect what resonates with you; it may be based on what you’ve done in the past or what’s the “easiest” career or job. Your coach can help you consider career and job options that are different from what you’ve done previously or that you hadn’t considered.

You had a bad experience at another job

If you have or have had a job that caused you anger, sadness, or anxiety, you may be trying to move on from that experience. A lot of people think the next job will fix their negative attitudes, but it doesn’t work like that. A career coach can help you move past those repeated unpleasant experiences and review your assumptions, which may not only impact your job search but also your daily motivation and family life.

If you are unsure that you should leave your job, check out our article on 10 Signs It’s Time to Leave Your Job

Creating a simple, yet substantive resume is challenging.

To qualify for a job at the level advertised, resumes must demonstrate the correct skills and abilities. It’s important to position your skills in the context of a potential role – particularly transferable skills that don’t match perfectly with the job description. Despite how great an accomplishment may be, not every accomplishment belongs on a resume. By focusing your resume and LinkedIn into one message, a career coach can help you better position yourself. This will help you attract recruiters’ attention by determining which experiences are relevant to the job for which you are applying.

If you want a quick fix that isn’t as thorough, look for tools like Enhancv— which will automatically scan your resume and suggest updates.

Interviews have gone well, but you haven't landed the job.

Not making it past the recruiter screen? You may need assistance when it comes to connecting your experience to each job. Otherwise, you may continue to make it to the next round but you won’t get past the hiring manager. Practicing with a career coach will help you polish your executive presence, answer common questions, and prepare you for interviews.

You’re not moving up in your career.

A career coach isn’t just for finding a job. There are lots of coaches around who can help you figure out why you’re not advancing. You can work with a coach to conduct an objective evaluation or review your performance feedback to determine which behavior you should change to move ahead in your career.

Hardly gives you free tools to answer your big career questions.

Career coaches can be extremely helpful, but that one-on-one time comes at a cost. Before you take the leap and pay, test the waters with our interactive quizzes and forum-style career coaching. That way, if you do choose to meet with one of our career coaches, you’ll have your motivations, priorities, and career path ready to be discussed.

You’ve Hit Submit. Now What?

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How To Own Your Growth At Any Stage

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Woman highlighted in coral in a gray crowd

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We’ve all been there. When Sunday evening rolls around and you suddenly feel your eyes rolling back in your head. The dread of going to an unfulfilling job is something that makes us all feel isolated and unified, simultaneously. But in the world of the great resignation, you have choices! It’s never been better to be on the hunt for a new job, or even a new career. That’s why we have some handy questions that you can ask yourself to find out if it’s time to say “sayonara” and look to new horizons.

Sign #10: You've been asking for a promotion... for years...

You may love your company, so it’s time that you hear some tough love. If you’ve been talking to your manager for years about a promotion or a change of role within the company, you are not getting it. In their mind, you are glued to a specific type of position and they will never see you differently. If you are certain it is time for a change, you’ll be more likely to get it somewhere else.

Sign #9: All your work BFFs have already left

Once upon a time, you were surrounded by an amazing group of friends at work, every day. Slowly, those have trickled away finding jobs somewhere else. The new coworkers? They are fine, but you know how work used to be.

You’ll always be comparing your current coworkers to your former work-BFFs. Always. And no one deserves to live in the past like that. It’s time to update your resume, and get going. Plus, doesn’t it mean something if everyone is leaving? If you need a way to track your happiness at work, check out our article on Career Journaling for Success.

Sign #8: You aren't learning anything

Nothing sucks your soul out like stagnation. If you don’t feel challenged on a regular basis, or you feel like you are a hamster on a wheel going nowhere, it’s time to ask for reassignment or a new challenge. If management doesn’t listen to you, then it’s time to leave your job.

Sign #7: You don't believe in the mission of your company

Of course, everyone relates differently to their company’s mission, and this is more important to some people than others. But for most professionals, their values need to align with their company. A mission represents where company leadership steers to in the future, and you want to be moving forward on the same road, right?

Want to see if your values align with your organization? Try our free quiz here.

Sign #6: You are overworked, tired, and relief isn't coming anytime soon

This one makes me tired just thinking about it… For years, I was stretched so thin that I couldn’t breathe. Some days I had to hold my pee for hours because there wasn’t time to run to the restroom between meetings. Don’t wait until you burn out like I did. It took me a solid year of depression to drag myself out of the rut I put myself in. If you are overworked, you’ve expressed how little time you have to your manager, and patiently waited for them to do something about it, NEWS ALERT: they aren’t. And it will probably take you leaving for them to realize how much was on your plate. If you are a manager, check out our other blog post on improving employees’ wellbeing.

Sign #5: Company management has unnecessary rules

Some rules are put in place just to express power. If you’ve ever been chastised for breaking a rule that shouldn’t exist in the first place, consider what other unnecessary tasks they have you doing without your awareness. For example, no one should be controlling your free time. If your company has a rule that you can’t leave during your lunch break or you can’t watch funny youtube videos while eating lunch at your desk, time to leave your job. You’d rather roll-out than get controlled-out.

Sign #4: Your new manager is your arch-nemesis

I think everyone has a story like this. You’ve spent a few wonderful years at a company and maybe even outlasted a few of your managers. Company leadership didn’t loop you in at all when they interviewed your new manager, and lo and behold, your new manager is a Karen. Not just a Karen, but a controlling, micro-managing Karen who makes your skin crawl when you see them. You’ve paid your dues there and if they didn’t feel like they should loop you in on the new hire, they obviously don’t respect you or your contribution to the company. Time to leave your job.

Sign #3: You are passionate about your job, but no one else is

You show up every day energetic and with fresh ideas, and you tackle every challenge with your full heart. You don’t understand why everyone else is dragging their feet or not as excited as you. This is a sign you are too good for your company. Passion is priceless! Your determination should not be wasted on others that don’t see the value you bring. Leave your job, and don’t look back

Sign #2: You don't trust management to have your back

Speaking of not looking back… Your manager is RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

Just kidding. They aren’t (at least we don’t think so).

But seriously, you spend 33% or more of your time at work. If you don’t trust your manager or company leadership to take care of you behind closed doors, that’s a sign that you should leave your job for better opportunities. At the end of the day, you need to look out for yourself, but it’s best if you can trust that your boss isn’t going to screw you over.

Sign #1: You’ve given feedback and no one is acting on it

We put this at Number 1, because this is sadly what we hear all the time. You filled out a survey, expressing your feedback to management. You also told them the same feedback at your yearly review. And maybe you’ve mentioned it to others at the holiday party. Every time you express your feedback, you are met with nodding heads and complete agreement, yet no one is doing anything about it.

Leaving in these circumstances can be the most freeing! You’ve tried your best, and that is all you can do. Take your great ideas to another company that aligns to your vision of the future, or better yet, create the company you want. Because if the past couple of years has shown us anything, it’s that you have no time to waste on someone else’s bulls*&#.

In the 21st century, “work-life balance” has become a buzz word. ADP states “the term was first introduced in the 1970s and 80s as stressed baby boomers strove to achieve a balance between career, family and other areas of their lives.” Now, work-life balance is promoted as the antidote to burnout. Taking vacation days and leaving work at work used to be a sign of this balance but now, with flexible hours, remote offices, and more opportunities to work in a field one is passionate about, it can be hard to define what work-life balance looks like for each of us. It can be even harder to determine if we are achieving it. While Hardly acknowledges there are a variety of work to life ratios that feel healthy depending on your work personality, here is a list of common barriers to attaining the balance you are looking for:

24/7 access

Regardless of what your work style is, giving colleagues and clients 24/7 access to you can make it impossible to create work-life balance. The scary thing is, most of us don’t even realize we are doing this. While I love the creation of smartphones, one of the huge downfalls is that my work email and slack are always attached to me. I could be at dinner with the family or on a weekend trip with my friends and I still feel the pressure to keep tabs on work because notifications are flying in. Now if you are a person who likes to work on the go, having your work email on your phone might be a godsend, but that doesn’t mean you have to be available all of the time. Instead, make a habit of turning off your notifications for at least part of the day and creating a 48 hour reply rule so that others don’t expect you to be on demand all of the time.

Priorities & planning

Intimately tied to setting access boundaries, understanding that most things are not urgent is crucial to maintaining work-life balance. Setting priorities and having a plan for executing them will help you keep your boundaries consistent. If your goal is to never work past 5pm, you have to be able to determine tasks for the next 24 hours versus what can wait until the next morning. This way you are confident in your decision to stay offline. Similarly, effective weekly planning will help your boss and colleagues feel comfortable not contacting you while on vacation. It is when they feel out of the loop that panic arises and we are unable to detach.

Job insecurity

This next one is more of a mindset rather than a clear obstacle. Either consciously or unconsciously many of us identify work as our primary source of value. If we earn a high salary or work for a prestigious company it in part identifies us and our accomplishments. While understandable, thinking you are your job can be hugely detrimental to work-life balance. Even if work is not attached to your identity, 99% of us need a job to have financial security. If your job feels like it is all you have, you will live in fear of jeopardizing it. So when your boss asks you to take on more, your natural reaction is to say yes without question. Next thing you know, friends, family, hobbies, and mental health can all fall to the wayside. Combat this by keeping your resume and cover letter updated, networking, and knowing your capabilities. Have confidence in your ability to get another job and that your life is full outside of work to prevent your boundaries from being bulldozed.

Company culture

Another prominent boundary to achieving work-life balance is your company’s culture. While many companies now boast ideals that support employee mental health and encourage time away from work, the reality can look very different. Many times, our bosses and colleagues set the tone for expectations at work so if they aren’t taking a break, we aren’t either. Similarly, if we see that others are praised for staying late or working on weekends, we are likely to follow suit. While we don’t have control over other people’s habits, we can seek out environments where our style of work-life balance is encouraged and at the very least have a candid conversation with our superiors about how our desired balance can be supported.

Not knowing what to do

Lastly, one of the largest barriers to work-life balance is 100% in your control: not knowing what to do outside of work. It is hard to justify time away from your desk when life outside of work lacks purpose or excitement. As adults we often forget the value of having hobbies that don’t bring in money or we aren’t excelling at. Not everything has to be a side hustle for it to be important. Spending time with friends, family (pets included), and nurturing interests outside of work makes you a whole person. Valuing your home life will help you respect it and make work-life balance a priority.

You’ve Hit Submit. Now What?

09 Jul 2025

Career Story Refresh: Clear Clutter & Highlight What Matters

22 Jun 2025

How To Own Your Growth At Any Stage

16 Jun 2025

Last month, we talked a lot about motivation: What type of motivators there are, how companies can keep employees engaged, and what works best for you. We quickly realized understanding motivators is only part of the equation when it comes to finding a company that fits your individual values. Another important aspect that determines whether or not you’ve found your match is your definition of work-life balance. In other words, do you like your work and personal life to bleed together or be kept separate? Lastly, there is the matter of organizational culture. Do you lean towards an individualistic model of management or a collective one? These three aspects combined make up one’s work-life values.

Recently, Hardly’s consumer insights have pointed towards four different work-life value profiles. Based on consumer research, we found many people fall into one of the following categories with slight variations based on where they are in their career trajectory:

The Discoverer or Trailblazer

If your work is also your passion, you are probably in this category. Discoverers and Trailblazers think outside the box and want to be on the cutting edge of their field. They find themselves motivated at work simply because of internal desires. They love the challenge without a need for additional rewards. Therefore, they allow their work to permeate throughout their lives. While everyone needs money to live, these curious employees are more concerned with whether their work is engaging and purposeful.

Visually, their work-life balance is like a swirl with work and play mixed together. You might find discoverers and trailblazers talking about work with their friends over dinner or reading articles on the topic just for fun. As one survey participant described, work-life balance is “being self-employed, having a daily blend of life and project work.” Others might burn out from a lack of delineation, but members of this group are energized by this style of work.

Discoverers and Trailblazers fit best with a company culture that values adaptability and agility over rules and tradition. Given the freedom to try new things, they love to be a force of change for the greater good. They prefer to be given more freedom and flexibility to make changes as they see fit. When their boss offers them the opportunity to do things differently, they thrive.

This work-life style’s favorite perk is flexible dress codes, business travel, and employee outings so they can continue to blend work and play.

So what’s the difference? Discoverers are still novices. They like to try new things but aren’t necessarily leading the pack with their new ideas. Trailblazers are a bit more seasoned and are innovating at a higher level and willing to take more risks to make their vision a reality.

The Apprentice or Captain

This group holds the most “traditional” work-life values. Apprentices and Captains are happy to pay their dues in the beginning and earn the benefits that come with being at the top. Their motto is “work hard, play hard.” They separate their personal life from their professional one, believing turning their passion into a paycheck would ruin it. Apprentices and Captains believe structure and clear expectations are required to be productive. They value efficiency and are more inclined to push themselves when stimulated by external benefits, rewards, praise, and above all, respect. Having their hard work acknowledged by other people and/or in exchange for something quantifiable sustains their engagement.

They value giving their all to their job when they are present. Then, checking out completely when it’s time to enjoy friends, family, and hobbies. As one participant stated, work-life balance is when “work stays as work, and my time off is respected.”

Apprentices and Captains fit best with a company culture that respects level of rank and responsibility. They value a chain of command and specific processes. Apprentices and Captains prefer organizational cultures that care less about face time or hours online and more about accomplishing tasks. In addition, praise from the boss goes a long way. The best perks to entice this group are early Fridays, milestone gifts, and performance bonuses.

The difference between the two is that Apprentices are still at the bottom of the totem pole but are eager to climb the corporate ladder. Captains have already worked their way up and are role models for those they manage. To the Apprentice, a Captain’s success represents a promise that hard work pays off in the long run.

The Collaborator or Mentor

Collaborators and Mentors are a bit more nuanced. They are motivated by outside forces, but they don’t mind if their personal and professional lives become intertwined. A survey participant nailed this idea when saying, “[work life balance is…] enough sleep, eating healthy, time to workout/hobbies, but paid enough.” Their balance comes from their sense of duty to others and being able to complete personal tasks throughout the day alongside work.

Collaborators and Mentors don’t mind answering emails on the weekends or entertaining clients in the evening. But, their high level of productivity is dependent on others acknowledging their accomplishments. In addition, they like to pursue goals as a team rather than individually. Their motto is usually “we win together, and lose together!”

Collaborators and Mentors match well with a company culture that functions like a large family or tribe. They love to be surrounded by like-minds and want to make sure there is consensus among colleagues before moving forward with new ideas. Believing each person is a valuable member of the team, they don’t want to feel like they are competing against their coworkers. They flourish at a company where getting to know one another holistically is encouraged and rewards are intertwined with collaboration and socializing outside of work. Their favorite perks are wellness programs, free social outings after work (hello, trivia night), and employee discounts on everything from gym memberships to meals.

Earlier in their career, Collaborators work well with those at the same level as them. On the other hand, Mentors are more focused on facilitating interdisciplinary work across the company. They lead their teams while fostering open dialogue amongst employees of all ranks. Many times, Mentors are protective of their younger Collaborators and invest a lot of time in nurturing their growth.

The Striver or Challenger

Strivers and Challengers are highly motivated by internal feelings of autonomy, mastery, and connection to their projects. However, they still value separation of church and state (metaphorically). Feelings of accomplishment and purpose at work drive intrinsic separators, and they like to detach from work and experience these same feelings from friends, family, and hobbies.

Their work provides a great amount of fulfillment in their lives, but it is not everything. They are at their best when they can compartmentalize the two as they see fit. As one participant stated, “my ideal work-life balance would be the ability to have a complete disconnect between work and personal life. I’m fine with talking shop outside office hours with other folks, but I want to be able to control when and where.” Strivers and Challengers are most productive when they are able to dive deeper into their specific interests and have a designated workspace to concentrate.

People in this camp fit best with companies that foster a bit of competition. Strivers and Challengers are very self-motivated and prefer to work for organizations that focus on achievement at an individual level. They typically have tunnel vision when working on a project and hold themselves to a high standard. In addition, they want to work for companies that stress individual accountability and self-promotion. They appreciate it when their boss offers them a challenging assignment and respects their free time. This work-life value profile’s favorite perks are professional development stipends, unlimited vacation time, and stock options. They also value companies that promote employees based on individual performance.

While both prefer working solo, Strivers are still trying to prove their individual value to a company whereas Challengers have most likely either reached the top where they get to call the shots or have gone out on their own. For example, Challengers make excellent solo-consultants, writers, artists, etc. Basically, the more they can tie their own work to their success, the better. Both tend to be successful at entrepreneurial endeavors due to their ambition and intrinsic motivation.

Conclusion

These four work-life value profiles are trending but are not yet set in stone. We would love your input to get a better idea of what other buckets exist and which work-life values are most popular. Click here to check out our app and take the survey to find out which work-life value you’re most aligned with. We look forward to incorporating your answers!

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Career Story Refresh: Clear Clutter & Highlight What Matters

How To Own Your Growth At Any Stage

At Hardly, we’ve been thinking a lot about what drives behavior. What propels us into those productivity windows or makes us want to go above and beyond? Goals are great, but only if we have the motivation to achieve them. Motivation is about increasing your desire or reason for doing something, whereas willpower is about having the self-control to force yourself to do something you don’t want to do.

When I think of willpower, it is better used as a stop system. It helps you refrain from certain behaviors like eating too many sweets or letting distractions get you off track. Motivation is more about what makes you go. Below are some suggestions for how to motivate yourself intrinsically and extrinsically so that you have a variety of tools to pump yourself up when you need it most.

What is intrinsic motivation?

Defined by researchers Deci & Ryan, intrinsic motivation pertains to activities done for their own sake. In a sense, the reward or satisfaction lies in the act itself. You are typically intrinsically motivated when you are doing something you find inherently interesting or enjoyable. Simply put, you are motivated to do it because you genuinely want to even though there is no external reward like money or accolades. Research shows that being intrinsically motivated is energizing, nurtures wellbeing, and boosts our performance. But, not all of us work on passion projects, so how can this concept be translated?

It’s not what you’re doing, but how you are doing it

Figuring out how to motivate yourself is not about pretending you like what you are doing, but making the process enjoyable. Marketing toothpaste or managing your boss’s calendar might not be your cup of tea, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be satisfying.

We recommend tapping into the power of choice and autonomy. Post-covid work has become a lot more flexible. Workers are able to design their lives with fewer limitations. Get excited about mundane tasks by relishing your ability to blast your favorite song or sit on the beach while doing it. Take that first call in the morning while hanging in downward dog or soaking in a foot mask while you reply to the last couple emails for the day.

Take pride in your work

We have all experienced that feeling of doing something to the best of our ability. When you turn in a piece of work that is truly reflective of your expertise it’s magic, you can’t help but smile! Try reminding yourself of this feeling before you start a task you know is going to be challenging and/or time consuming. Feeling competent and that your work is valuable will intrinsically motivate you. All you need to do is think of yourself as the handler. This task was especially assigned to you, because you are the only one for the job.

Bring passion in & keep progress in perspective

Learning how to motivate yourself intrinsically is easier when you know what you do like. Make a list of things you enjoy about your job as a whole and about the project you are currently working on. Even if it’s a small detail, it is a lifeline when you fall into a slump.

Now that you’ve changed your mindset to zoom in on the aspects you enjoy, zoom out to understand how accomplishing this task will propel you forward. Look at the big picture to give the task context in your greater plan. Feeling like we are on track helps build confidence in the choices we’ve made and in our future which intrinsically keeps us motivated.

What is extrinsic motivation?

Extrinsic motivation is reward driven behavior. Ever hear of B.F. Skinner? Well, he’s the psychologist who is known as the “Father of Operant Conditioning”. Basically, he found humans either do things or don’t do things based on whether they are rewarded for their behavior or punished for it. Regarding work, external factors, such as money, praise, or not getting fired, extrinsically motivate us to do our job. But, how can you customize extrinsic rewards yourself that are effective?

Adopt an accountability buddy

I personally work best on a reward system. However, it is sometimes hard to have the discipline to deprive myself of the reward when I don’t accomplish what I said I would. After all, only I know I didn’t finish that powerpoint, and no one will call me out for still eating a cookie.

A quick fix for this is to ask a friend or coworker to keep you accountable. In fact, make them part of the reward. Tell a coworker if you send them the proposal by noon, the two of you should go out for a lunch date. Or, schedule a movie night with a friend, but only if you get through at least half of your caseload. You wouldn’t want to disappoint them, would you?

Celebrate your wins

If you are struggling with how to motivate yourself during longer projects over longer periods of time, celebrate your accomplishments. Since the pandemic, we haven’t had office parties or popped champagne when we are selected for a bid. Not only are the celebrations fun to look forward to, but they fuel us for the next big project.

Our advice is to not wait for your manager to celebrate your wins; plan a celebration yourself. Organize a happy hour with your team the day after a project is complete, and definitely go all out when you have risen to a challenge or gotten a promotion. I think you deserve that new gaming system!

Use them sparingly

One of the reasons extrinsic motivations can be ineffective is because the rewards are given too frequently. If you give yourself the reward often enough, it loses its allure. However, if you are strategic and determine a few rewards that you are really craving they can be highly effective. One of my rules is that the size of the reward must align with the difficulty of the task. For example, it wouldn’t make sense to equate a new pair or running shoes with one day of exercise. I would need to prove consistency and discipline over a month to justify such a reward. Think of it this way, you won’t want what you already have.

Let us know if you prefer intrinsic or extrinsic motivation by commenting below. Also, check out our tips for effective goal setting so that you can put your new found motivation to work!

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Career Story Refresh: Clear Clutter & Highlight What Matters

At the start of the pandemic, many of us productivity hackers thought, “working from home I can be efficient and effective on my own timeline without the time wasting formalities of the office.” People made Pinterest-worthy to do lists and color coded calendars thinking that these were the keys to productivity. We had high hopes of being able to make healthy breakfasts and take virtual pilates before our Monday morning meetings. The goal was to fit in grocery runs during lunch or be uber focused from 12-3 finishing projects so that we could get off an hour early. But for many of us these expectations of remote work did not become a reality. Instead we found it hard to stay in focus-mode past lunch, snacking throughout the day just because we were bored in the house, and juggling household chores during working hours resulting in everything taking longer to get done. Now that we have come out on the other side, it is time to get back on track and get rid of the procrastination monster. Here is Hardly’s guide to creating a productivity plan that works in reality so that you can meet your expectations:

Do what feels natural

Expectation: You are going to up your productivity by suddenly becoming a morning person. 5am is your new wake-up time and you will accomplish two or three personal tasks before work even begins. Your new productivity plan also includes taking a break every hour for 10 minutes even though you typically are the type of person who works best when they are on a roll.

Reality: While we are all for making healthy changes, one of the pitfalls many encounter when trying to increase productivity is wasting time trying to do things that are unnatural for them. In reality, if you have been a night owl for 30 years and it’s because you get a boost of energy later in the day, you will be working against the grain for minimal gains. You will take your scheduled breaks but find that they are actually interrupting your productivity, not helping it. Instead, your productivity plan should include understanding your natural patterns. What already makes you productive and how can you capitalize on that? Retraining yourself is time consuming and not always necessary.

Plan for the present, not the future

Expectation: You set a goal for the end of the month. You think the bigger the goal, the better. You will rise to the occasion and get more done by reminding yourself of the overall objective. You try to stay motivated by thinking about what you can accomplish next month if you stick to your plan for this month.

Reality: You overwhelm yourself and it paralyzes you. The big goal was a good idea but you don’t know what is required of you right now to get the job done. Instead, your productivity plan should be rooted in the present. What do you plan to accomplish in the next hour? How are you going to do that successfully? Focusing on the step in front of you will help you be more productive in the moment and will make you feel accomplished more frequently.

Slowly build habits

Expectation: Tomorrow is the end of procrastination. You have downloaded all the productivity apps you need to block distractions and read up on the best practices to stay on task for longer periods of time. You expect results immediately and think you will transform yourself into a productivity hacker overnight!

Reality: Two weeks later you are still struggling to stick to your plan and end up working later into the evening despite your efforts to get more done before 3pm. In addition, your way of regaining time is skipping your lunch break which makes it hard to focus later in the day. Giving yourself grace is super important in your productivity plan. Consistency is the name of the game and slow and steady wins the race. In order for your productivity plan to be sustainable, your changes should take place incrementally and you shouldn’t be surprised if you have to establish your new habits for at least one month before seeing results.

It includes redos

Expectation: You believe being productive means getting it right on the first try. If you don’t make any mistakes then you are your most productive self. Mistakes cost time, and more time is the antithesis of efficiency.

Reality: Mistakes happen because we are all human. Your productivity plan should be centered around making progress, not being perfect. The best thing you can do is learn to recover as fast as possible. You will inevitably do something wrong and need to redo it because our work evolves and grows just like we do. We recommend learning how to dive in so that you can receive feedback quickly. If something goes wrong, don’t ruminate on the time lost. Bounce back and think about how learning this lesson will save you time in the future!

Out of place is okay

Expectation: Everything will be organized to a T, always. My planner will have sticky notes that correspond with my calendar. My desk will be orderly at all times. My emails will be categorized by topic and I will increase my productivity by never having to search for anything.

Reality: Organization is great, but in reality we can let the organization become a distraction. Have you ever finished cleaning your office and feeling great until you look up at the clock and three hours have past? While I do believe it is easier to focus with less clutter, accepting a little disorganization could do wonders for your productivity. Working on the actual projects you need to complete will become the main task and organizing will become secondary rather than vice versa. In fact, some of the best brainstorming or laser focused writing result in a mess of papers and pens strewed about.

Let us know what is realistic about your productivity plan and what is wishful thinking! For more on productivity, check out the 5 Best Apps you can download to get work done a whole lot faster.

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Career Story Refresh: Clear Clutter & Highlight What Matters

“Productivity” is one of the hottest buzz words in today’s work environment. The word is plastered all over self-help books and is the topic of podcasts and motivational speeches alike. We all aim to be productive, but sometimes we aren’t sure how to get the best out of ourselves. So, I thought it would be fun to choose 9 quotes about productivity to serve as advice and inspiration when we get to a sticking point. Why not take advice from others who have already become uber successful?

Action over thought

“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done” – Bruce Lee

This quote about productivity seems intuitive, but when you say it out loud it’s really powerful. So many of us ruminate over the same idea until we are blue in the face but never actually take the first step towards doing it. An idea person is only as good as their ability to follow through, whether that is on their own or by enlisting the help of others.

Time is valuable

“The true price of anything you do is the amount of time you exchange for it.” – Henry David Thoreau

It’s important to remember time is the only finite resource we have. You can’t make more of it, so spend it wisely. How do you do this? Automate and delegate where you can. Productivity is all about knowing what you have to do and knowing what can be done for you.

Commitment is key

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort” – Paul J. Meyer

If the pioneer of the self-improvement industry, Paul Meyer says it’s about consistently doing your best, strategy, and purposeful work then it must be true. The key to productivity is partially realizing that you have to consciously make an effort to improve your productivity. Like everything, practice makes perfect.

The less meetings the better

“The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favor of holding meetings” – Thomas Sowell

We all know meetings can sometimes be where productivity goes to die. Collaboration or focused brainstorming can be hugely beneficial but meeting frequently to just talk about things that could have been communicated by email. At their best meetings bring coworkers together and help provide greater context to individual responsibilities. But at their worst, they are an interruption that keeps you from doing the real work.

Quality over quantity

“Never mistake motion for action” – Ernest Hemingway

I am sure this famous author encountered a writer’s block or two that he had to overcome. Hemingway knew the difference between quantity and quality. Just because you look busy doesn’t mean you are making progress. This productivity quote is about efficiency. Remember, it is better to take breaks than waste time pseudo working.

Keep it simple silly

“Simplicity boils down to two steps: identify the essential, eliminate the rest” – Leo Babauta

Prioritization is crucial. We can’t do everything all of the time so it is important to move away from complexity and know how to make cuts. Productivity is best when it is used to get the best result in the shortest amount of time. If accomplishing something is not going to have a big impact, move it to the bottom of the list and don’t stress over getting it done. Instead use your brainpower where it counts.

Embrace mistakes

“While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is buy making mistakes and becoming superior” – Henry C. Link

This is one of the best quotes about productivity, because it rhymes. Just kidding. But for real, I love this quote because it reminds us that the antithesis of productivity (and creativity) is perfectionism. The more we obsess over the details, the less we are able to accomplish. Being thorough is great, but it shouldn’t be crippling. Making room for mistakes might be the very thing that propels you forward.

Play to your strengths

“All things will be produced in superior quantity and quality, and with greater ease, when each man works at a single occupation, in accordance with his natural gifts, and at the right moment, without meddling with anything else” – Plato

This ancient Greek philosopher states that productivity is all about narrowing your focus and capitalizing on your talents. What we often leave out of the conversation about productivity is that we usually struggle the most when we are doing something we don’t like or aren’t good at. This is where the whole idea about following your passion comes from. You will be most productive when you do the things you naturally excelle at. That doesn’t mean quit your job and pursue your hobby full time. It means to figure out what you are best at and figure out all of the ways you can apply it to your current role.

Rome wasn’t built in a day

“When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that last blow that did it – but all that had gone before” – James Clear

This is one of the best quotes about productivity from James Clear’s book Atomic Habits. It highlights the fact that productivity takes slow and steady progress. It is about incremental success due to the development of micro habits and consistency. You might not feel like turning your phone on silent from 9am-12pm is working until after a month when you realize you were able to get through your morning emails twice as fast as you used to. The point is, improving your productivity in sustainable ways is how you plan the long game, so don’t sweat it if you don’t see instant improvement.

We hope you enjoyed Hardly’s top 9 quotes about productivity. Let us know which quote is your favorite!

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