Over the past thirty years, the use of sanctions has risen drastically, with increasingly diminishing returns. As the threats posed by the rise of global authoritarianism increase, improving the efficiency of sanctions is crucial to combatting this trend. Sanctions can be improved through increased transparency and communication, improved strategic planning, and domestic reforms including combatting corruption and accelerating the transition to renewable energies. If leading nations undertake these difficult but significant reforms, sanctions will be a more dynamic and effective tool to combat authoritarianism.