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Bill Gates did not become Bill Gates by taking endless coffee breaks or walking to the bathroom the long way. We all know that success takes hard work. Not all of us want to be CEO of a Fortune 500 company, but we all want to be champions at our job. So what is stopping us from dominating our tasks and owning our to-do lists? Endless emails, procrastination, and countless distractions, just to name a few. We all need breaks and the occasional chit-chat, but if you stay focused, work smart, and set goals, you WILL become an office all-star in no time.

1. Come out Swinging

You can’t keep putting off your hardest task. We made this our first point because you should make it yours. It may be tough, it may be tedious, but sooner or later, you’re going to have to do it. Rather than keep it looming over your head, glaring at you from that to-do list, maybe even keeping you up at night, do it first thing when you come into work. Just think of how awesome it will feel when you cross that off!

2. Time your Tackle

Maybe that tough task isn’t something you can do in one shot. Maybe the sheer amount of time it will take is what’s holding you back. No problem. Give yourself one hour to work on it each morning (first thing, don’t forget!). Do as much as you can do in an hour, then stop. The time limit will make the task more approachable and also keep you focused.

3. Keep your Eye on the Prize

After your hour spent tackling the toughie, it’s time to turn to the rest of your work. Create a list of all the things you have to get through, set due dates on each one, and then star the one that you must finish that day. Giving yourself one targeted goal to focus on with make sure you continue to move through your work efficiently as the week goes on.

4. Compete with Yourself

Pushing yourself is all about mind over matter. Think of your last workout. There’s always that voice in your head telling you ‘no one will really know if I stop now. I’ll do an extra half-hour tomorrow…’ To make it to the end, you can’t let that voice get the better of you. The same applies at the office. It’s easy to get distracted by a million things, but you can be your own coach. Tell yourself that you’re not getting up for any reason until your task is done. No matter what.

5. Increase your Speed

Before you start a task, think of how long you expect it to take. Then challenge yourself to do it faster. It’s not about rushing through your work or cutting corners. Working with this goal in mind will help you focus on what’s important and cut out the distractions. Plus, you might amaze yourself with the beauty you can produce in a short time.

Becoming an office all-star may not be the easiest challenge at hand, but the results will make it all worth it. If you can maintain focus and stay goal-oriented, you can train your mind to burn through your tasks in no time. Someone has to be the Bill Gates of your office, why not you?

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