For a decade, I worked hard.

It wasn’t a choice— I didn’t realize this.

It was how I was raised. 

The circumstances of my life. 

As a child of immigrants and an immigrant myself, I came to Canada at the age of 10.

I barely spoke English. My family had to start from nothing.

I was raised by my grandparents and my mom. Back in Russia, my grandparents were engineers. Typical story.

In Canada, they took whatever jobs they could—construction, house cleaning, tutoring—anything to put food on the table.

I watched my grandfather wake up every morning and work 12-hour construction shifts in the cold. My grandmother did everything—cooking, cleaning, teaching kids—never stopping for a second.

And I respected them for it. Immensely.

I was taught to study relentlessly because knowledge is power.

I believed hard work was the answer to everything.

But after a decade of pushing myself non-stop, I started seeing the cracks:

• Burnout.
• Exhaustion.
• Lack of purpose or direction.
• A pattern of “Workaholism”
• An endless cycle of never feeling like I’d done enough.
• Allow materialism, and consumerism to hijack my mind

It took many cycles through out 4 years, followed three months of slowing down in Peru to finally break the pattern of workaholism. And I’m not sure I’m fully there yet — but at least I understand and see the reality.

✅ Hard work isn’t enough. Without strategy, it’s just running on a treadmill.

✅ More hours don’t equal better results. It’s about focusing on the right things.

✅ Success isn’t about just pushing forward—it’s about knowing when to step back and learning WHY.

✅ Work should be done from a state of creative flow — not anxiety, fear and scarcity mindset.

Hard Work vs. Smart Work: A Family Conversation That Changed Everything

The other day, I had a conversation with my grandmother again:

She sighed and said:

“Life is already tough. Young people have too much on their shoulders—marriage, kids, purpose, finances, work.”

Then she asked a question that I never thought she would…

“Why do immigrants always think they don’t have enough? Why do we work ourselves to the grave?”

She had a point.

I’ve seen it in so many immigrant families—the relentless work ethic, the fear of scarcity, the belief that we must always do more.  

But, there’s a time to re-examine:

Hard work is a valuable tool, but without strategy, it’s just a habit.

The Science of Working Smarter: My Grandmother’s Unintentional Productivity Hack

Funny enough, my grandmother has been telling me how to work smarter my entire life. 

Even though grandparents work hard to survive, she still reminds me of this principle weekly:

“Choose the 1% you actually want to do, and throw out the rest.”

I didn’t realize this was an actual scientific principle until I researched it.

Maybe she learnt it from somewhere. She does read a lot!

Turns out, she was describing the Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule) perfectly.

🔬 The Pareto Principle states that 80% of results come from just 20% of efforts.

My grandmother has been saying this to me since I was a kid.

Every time I told her about my dozens of ideas, she’d say:

“Pick one. The one that actually matters. The rest is noise.”

Science agrees with her.

👉 How to Apply It:

• Identify the 20% of tasks that drive 80% of your success.
• Ruthlessly cut out or delegate the rest.
• Stop confusing busyness with productivity.

 Let’s explore more. 

Smart Work vs. Hard Work: Key Differences

Smart work isn’t about being lazy. It’s about being intentional.

Here’s the breakdown:

✅ Time Investment

• Hard Work: Measures success by hours spent working.
• Smart Work: Measures success by results achieved.

✅ Problem-Solving Approach

• Hard Work: Uses brute force—more effort, more struggle.
• Smart Work: Uses strategy—focuses on efficiency, automation, and systems.

✅ Mindset

• Hard Work: “If I just grind harder, I’ll get there.”
• Smart Work: “If I work strategically, I’ll get there faster—with less stress.”

So how do we make the shift? 

How Ancient & Modern Thinkers Mastered Smart Work

This isn’t a new idea.

The world’s greatest thinkers—from Greek philosophers to Buddhist monks to modern psychologists—have all studied how to maximize effort without exhaustion.

Aristotle’s Golden Mean: Work, But Not Too Much

🔥 Aristotle taught the Golden Mean—the balance between two extremes.

• Too much work = burnout.
• Too little work = stagnation.
• Smart work = effort with purpose.

👉 Takeaway: Don’t measure success by how much you work—measure it by how well you work.

Stoicism: Control What You Can, Let Go of the Rest

🔥 Marcus Aurelius & Seneca believed that success comes from focusing only on what’s within our control. 

Hard workers waste energy on everything.

Smart workers prioritize the things that truly matter. 

👉 Takeaway: Before taking on a task, ask: “Is this within my control? Will this move me forward?” If not? Let it go. Redirect your energy.

Buddhist Right Effort: Not All Work Is Good Work

🔥 The Buddha taught that effort should be intentional, meaningful, and aligned with purpose.

Just working hard isn’t enough. It has to be the right kind of effort.

👉 Takeaway: Instead of forcing productivity, ask: “Am I doing this out of habit, or because it truly matters?”

How to Shift from Hard Work to Smart Work (Step-by-Step Guide)

💡 Step 1: Identify High-Impact Work

• Use the Eisenhower Matrix to separate urgent vs. important tasks.
• Focus on high-leverage activities, not busywork.

💡 Step 2: Work in Deep Focus Mode

• Turn off notifications.
• Block 90-minute time slots for deep work.
• Use a timer to stay in flow.

💡 Step 3: Batch & Automate

• Group similar tasks (emails, meetings, admin) to avoid mental fatigue.
• Use automation tools to eliminate repetitive work.

💡 Step 4: Follow Your Energy, Not Just the Clock

• Align tasks with your natural energy peaks.
• Take movement breaks before exhaustion sets in.

At the end of the day, success isn’t about working the hardest.

It’s about working wisely. 

Because smart work isn’t just about efficiency.

It’s about designing a life where work feels effortless. 

- Angelina